Curse of The Fading Tears
by Kaeru-sama
Summary: -REWRITING- An investigation about her brother's death led her to find Kyo and discover a dark history behind a house where all fate is binded. Will she be able to escape the curse? Chapter 30 is up! Dear me, 30 chapters!
1. Chapter 1

Curse of The Fading Tears 

A/N: Uh, idea based from Fatal Frame. This story contains a lot of chapters. Standard disclaimer applies here. Thank you Tecmo for making Fatal Frame and thank you Kamijyo-sensei for SDK.

-

Hour One – The Wake House

-

"Yuya-san, you know what you're actually doing, right?" the driver smiled to the girl at the back seat. Yuya just smiled.

"Of course, this is my first time being in Japan… I've lived in Europe for a long time… Leaving Britain to be here was just so hard…" Yuya sighed. The man laughed. "What is it, Kyoshiro?"

"Your brother sure is unlucky to have a whiny sister like you…" he looked at the side mirror. "Hey, I thought there was a car tailing us before… where'd it go?"

"It must be your imagination…" Yuya looked into her backpack and took out a picture of her and her brother, Nozomu who died in an accident 4 months ago when he went to Japan to investigate about a house. He was a renowned photographer who'd put family aside for his work. Yuya hated him for that reason.

"He was a jerk…" Yuya said mainly to herself. Kyoshiro looked at her for a second and continued driving.

"Who? Nozomu?" Kyoshiro whistled hearing Yuya's groan. "Hey, he was doing this for your sake too…"

Yuya slammed her fist to the window near her. Kyoshiro jumped at hearing that. "My sake? He didn't even write, he didn't even call and he would only come back when he's out of money or is out of ideas!"

"Don't wreck my car!" Kyoshiro pleaded.

"I'll wreck it if I want! When can I reach that place!" Yuya whined and threw her backpack aside.

"We're near his house… you behave, you hear me?" Yuya stuck her tongue out. "Huh… you really ARE sixteen… anyways… Kyo hates it when you whine a lot, don't ask too many questions, don't bother him and lastly, lock the bathroom door when you're in it."

"Like what? He's gonna barge in like he owns the place?" Yuya sneered.

"He DOES own the place. It's a three-bedroom house equipped with every aspect a localized house has. There are rooms where you have to get his permission to enter and only cook when he allows you to. Oh, and maybe he'll ask you to do the laundry…" Kyoshiro told her.

"Oh, he's the king of the world?" Yuya remarked sarcastically.

"Nope but he acts like one… don't comment on his eyes, he'll always glare at you… when we reach there, I'll leave you at the doorstep and the rest is up to you 'cause he hates me… oh, there it is!" Kyoshiro trailed off while he pointed to a descent looking house painted white with a decorative charcoal black roof.

"Wow… and he lives alone?" Yuya imagined what this Kyo guy looked like whilst she looked at the towering house. She imagined him to be a smart looking guy with a knack of dark deco in his house. 'That might be boring…'

Kyoshiro parked the car in front of the gate. Yuya stepped out of the car and was amazed at how eerie looking it was close range. Yuya grabbed her backpack and ordered Kyoshiro to carry her luggage. Kyoshiro reluctantly did so.

"So, that big shot lives here huh? Talk about bad karma… it's like this house is meant for a funeral…" Yuya walked to the front door and examined the handiwork done for the door design. It looked like a carving of a cheery blossom tree etched to it.

"A lot of people died in this house, well, actually had its wake here. There's this house your brother used to investigate… a lot of people died there. Kyo bought this house because it was near to the site, and Nozomu worked here with him." Kyoshiro placed the luggage at the doorstep and bowed his head to Yuya. "Well, this is where we part, ring the doorbell once I've drove far enough and honked to signal you."

"Okay, thank you to you too, I'll call if there's anything… Give my regards to Yukimura-san for letting me stay at his house…" Yuya waved goodbye.

Kyoshiro waved back and had his arms at his pocket. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot, here… it's from your brother." He gave Yuya a key, a notebook and a photo. "The key is for opening his chest, the notebook's was his and that is the photo of the house he was investigating…"

"Oh… what for?" Yuya looked at the items she was given. Kyoshiro just shrugged and left for his car.

"Changing plans, once I've drove off, ring the bell." Kyoshiro lowered his car window and winked. "See ya!" and he drove off.

Yuya smiled sourly and turned to face the door. She made her index finger to the buzzer and pushed it slowly. A loud chime was heard. She heard footsteps trudging towards the door. The door slowly opened, revealing a man wearing a white unbuttoned shirt, black trousers and had messy hair. He was wearing glasses that Yuya considered to be reading glasses as he was holding a black book. What caught her attention were his deep red eyes.

"Who're you?" he said with a deep voice.

Yuya bowed her head and said in a British accent, "My name is Shiina Yuya, pleased to meet you, Kyo-san." She reached out her hand for a handshake but there was no hand to shake it. "Uh… a hug perhaps?" she spread out her arms and tucked them back when Kyo didn't move. "Oh, no way to break the ice?"

Kyo tilted his head in amusement. "A foreigner? Well, if you are lost, get lost. I'm expecting a guest to be arriving soon… is that okay?" he mimicked Yuya's accent.

"Oh, gomen! I was just testing you! I'm Nozomu's kid sister. You're expecting me." Yuya bowed her head again. "Wow, your English is quite good, no wonder my brother worked with you!"

"I'm a graduate from Oxford, met Nozomu there even though he was a senior back then… come in, the fog's getting thicker…" he welcomed her in with a shove at her back.

"Hey! Watch it!" Yuya grabbed her luggage and frowned at the towering man. "Treat me with respect, I'm your dead friend's sister…"

"A younger girl than me, why should I treat her with respect? Anyways, hurry with what you're doing… your room is next to mine… dinner will be ready at 6.00 pm sharp, any late than that, cook for yourself." And Kyo left her after locking the door.

"How very rude…" Yuya carried her luggage slowly upstairs and searched for her room. It was located next to Kyo's unfortunately…

"Ugh… and I have to live with this guy? I hope the room's okay…" she entered the room that was prepared for her arrival. It was plain white. The bedspread, the curtains, the bed lamps, the vanity table… it's like somebody died here…

"This is my room? Quite not me…" Yuya stood still at the door until a voice made her jump inside. "Whoa!" she collapsed on the bed.

"What are you doing in Nozomu's room?"

"Uh… Kyo-san! Uh, I'm sorry! I thought this was mine!" Yuya got to her feet and bowed her head. "Uh… where is my room actually?"

"Down the hall to your left, next to MINE, remember? Next to THIS room is the study and next to it is the bathroom… how stupid are you?" Kyo smirked. He had his glasses off and looked quite dashing than before although he looked smarter with the glasses…

"Hey! You only told me that it's next to yours! I don't even know where's the bathroom, where the study is! You didn't even tell me where's YOUR room!" Yuya snapped.

Kyo sighed. "I just told you, pinhead… you really ARE stupid…" Kyo snatched the luggage from her and grabbed her wrist. "I'll show you…"

"H-hey!" Yuya tried to wriggle herself free but his grip became tighter. "Kyo-san! Kyo-san! Let me go!"

"Stop calling me 'Kyo-san', it's annoying…" Kyo stuffed his left ear with his finger.

"Then what should I call you!"

"Just Kyo…" Kyo opened the door they had just reached and threw her on the bed. "Now, this is YOUR room. I was just wondering… what do you want for dinner? It's been a while since I cooked for two…"

"Uh… I like pasta… and ow… you didn't have to be so rough…" Yuya massaged her abused wrist.

"Nice underwear by the way… red… I like…" Kyo smirked cynically.

"Ah!" she grabbed her skirt. "Y-you pervert!" she blushed deeply. 'A guy seeing and **_commenting_** on your panties on the first meeting is SO embarrassing!' she mentally said.

"Amusing… pasta eh? All right, remember the rule, you still have half and hour to spare, do what you like _except _entering the room downstairs and the study…" Kyo left the room still having the smirk on his face.

"Do what I like? Fine! I'll smash your room!" she made her hands into fists and prepared to march into Kyo's room until…

"And also… except MY room!"

"Oh crap!" she fell back on her bed. "Now, what can I do!" she looked outside her window and saw that rain has poured down. "Oh yeah! The things nii-sama gave!"

Yuya grabbed her backpack and emptied its contents. "Uh… I'll read his notebook first… and what an eerie looking house in this picture… looks so deserted…" she flipped the notebook open and began to read it.

'_I've made several different researches on this house… and it all gave positive results that it is haunted. I've conducted a few experiments like taking pictures, using the special microphone to catch the messages they're trying to tell me but none worked. Using the video camera also gave me negative results. I've tried everything but none of them worked.'_

'_I wanted to give up but Kyo told me there's this camera called Camera Obscura that can connect with life from the Other World… I searched every shop but found nothing. Kyo told me to look for it at antique shops because that camera is very old and rare and most of them are broken and only a few remain.'_

'_I also had negative results with the antique shops. I really wanted to give up but before I did, a package came, addressed to me. It contained the camera! I was quite surprised and the one who sent it remains a mystery…'_

'_I made the best with the camera and caught lots of spirits wandering in the house, but a few days after I did… I felt there's more to this house than just spirits… some of the spirits were crying, moaning and some even chased me away! I was afraid to go any further so I just did away with the pictures that I managed to catch on film.'_

'_I did researches on folklore concerning the house. I got little info form the net so I went to the library to borrow some books. What I found out thrilled me to get into this mystery further. I found out that this house was used by a clan for its rituals that involved sacrificing… the clan remained unknown now but I'm still digging for the answers.'_

'_Kyo wanted to follow me but I forbid him to do so as it was dangerous… to connect with the spirits further, I must not bring extra people to disturb them. I just asked him to take care of my things and write to my sister, but I doubt he did that. He always said that Yuya won't understand any katakana, hiragana or kanji characters.'_

'_But what I found out in the house was much more interesting than ever. I saw lots of flashbacks amazingly… with the help of the camera; I see traces of blood that cannot be seen by the naked eye… I'm quite afraid to enter this one room. It's closed by some unknown power and when I direct the camera to it, a blue miasma covers it and the last time I visited this house, I saw Uraha-san.'_

'_I left the door as it is and walked out the house. I looked at the house one more time… I'm surprised that it was not like what's inside. Inside was bigger and looks like a mansion, a castle to be exact. Outside, it looks like a normal house, an old one though… I'm confused with what I'm writing in this book. It's now acting like my diary rather than a notebook.'_

"I think so too… and Kyo said I wouldn't understand Japanese characters! I learnt all of them already!" Yuya flipped the next page but it was blank. "Over already? The date… it was on the day nii-sama died… what exactly happened!"

Yuya looked through all the remaining pages but all of them were blank. There is a scribbling

at the back of the book that says 'Fret not, the sacrifices made is for a good reason, may you rest in peace'.

"Sacrifices? Rest in peace? What the hell!" Yuya threw the book aside and rested on the comfy bed Kyo prepared. "Ouch!"

She got up immediately once she felt a stabbing pain at her back. It was the key her brother gave. "Oh yeah… the key…"

Yuya left her room and slowly walked to her brother's. She opened the door and gulped. The eerie feeling of being in a dead person's room overwhelmed her. "Nii-sama… are you here?"

No answer.

"Okay, where's the chest to this key? Where is it? Where is it?" she searched high and low (meaning she searched on top of the closet and underneath the bed). But the chest was on the study table all along (heh…). "There it is! Quite small…"

Yuya opened the chest and found a letter and an old camera. It was also accompanied by a number of photographs taken by Nozomu in the house. "A letter…? Wait, it's addressed to me!" she took out the letter from its envelope. "It looks new…"

'_Dear Yuya,_

_When you come across this letter, I'll be long gone. I'm sorry for neglecting you. I'm not asking for your forgiveness but I do hope you find happiness in the end. Enclosed with this letter is the Camera Obscura that I used to capture spirits on pictures._

_I already foresaw my death but I didn't know when it would exactly happen. On which fateful day, I do not know. I didn't tell Kyo about this but I told Kyoshiro to put the camera in this chest if I did so. He was confused but I guess he understood the message I wanted to tell._

_Please do not ask Kyoshiro about anything concerning me. Ask Kyo if you want anything; don't tell him about this letter. Yuya, I hope you understand what I'm telling you. I'm so sorry._

_Love_d

_Nozomu'_

"Nii-sama… you foresaw your death? But how! Does it have something to do with the camera? Camera Obscura… what is this thing?" Yuya folded the letter and placed it back into the chest. She then brought the chest back into her room.

"Dinner's ready!"

-

A/N: If I get better responses here, I think I'll just continue here, yah? R&R! SDK is not mine.


	2. Chapter 2

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Hour Two - Camera Obscura

-

Yuya walked slowly down the stairs. She was so dazed at the discovery she found while she waited for dinner. She entered the dining room and saw that Kyo was already seating still waiting for her.

"Had a rough half-hour? Hurry and sit and eat." Kyo told her to sit next to him. She did so without question.

She began to eat the pasta Kyo made non-stop and will only stop to drink when she's choked on it. "Ugh, pass me more water please…" she reached out to Kyo but he patted her back instead.

"If you drink fast, you'll end up suffocating. I don't want another dead person in my house…" Kyo gave her the water after he's finished patting. "Drink up now…"

Yuya snatched the glass from Kyo. Kyo smirked. Yuya drank it so fast she choked. "Ugh…"

"I told you…" Kyo pat her on the back again. "What happened?"

"Kyo… how did my brother actually died?" Yuya looked at her hands, they were shaking.

"Nozomu? Well, it was an accident… I told that bastard to pick him up, because… I was busy, I was very busy… my sister was very sick, my foster sister I mean… I had to go to the hospital…" Kyo looked at his hands. "She died when I got there…"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean…" Yuya got up and bowed her head.

"Sit."

"Okay…" Yuya sat back on her seat.

"Before she died, she told me about the dreams she's been having recently, I was interested in those things… so I listened to her story. She dreamt about Nozomu being in a castle, he was walking, holding a camera-"

"Camera Obscura?" Yuya asked him. Kyo nodded.

"Yes, Camera Obscura… how did you know?" Kyo glared at her. Yuya looked away, she was terrified to look at Kyo's eyes. "Anyways… your brother wandered around aimlessly, directing the camera at something invisible, I don't get that actually… clicking the shutter, over and over again while moving around, it was like he was tailing someone."

"And then?" Yuya looked at Kyo with a concerned look.

"My sister stopped at that, who or what Nozomu was tailing is still a question mark." Kyo finished his remaining pasta and got up to wash the dishes.

"Kyo, what's your sister's name?" Yuya finished her remaining pasta and also got up to wash the dishes. Kyo was still washing his and he stopped to look at her.

"Uraha… Mibu Uraha, she was two years older than me, she suffered a chronic disease, and I didn't really know what it is actually…" Kyo continued washing and sighed. "Uraha was so nice to me even though I don't really like her family…"

"Uraha… I think I've heard… no, I've read about her name, where have I seen… oh! The notebook!" Yuya dropped the plate and it shattered. "Oh my… I'm sorry! Kyo, I'm sorry!" Yuya fell on her knees and hurried to gather the broken pieces.

Kyo finished his dish first and helped Yuya with the pieces. "You don't have to apologize, it's quite old…"

Yuya shook her head. "It must be quite valuable!" Yuya hurried but in the midst of doing so, she injured her hand. "Ow…"

"Let me see that…" Kyo took her hand in his and looked at the injury. "Blood…" unexpectedly to Yuya, he licked her hand.

"K-Kyo! W-what are y-you doing!" Yuya snatched her hand away from Kyo. "I-I'll go put some anti-septic on it, and I-I'll come by later to clean it again…" she moved away slowly from Kyo and ran to get the first-aid kit which was near to the kitchen.

Kyo was dazed. He didn't really know why he did that, it was reflex. Kyo wiped the blood from his mouth. "Why did it taste so… sweet?"

Oh Kyo… 

"Huh?" Kyo looked around to study his surrounding. "What was that?"

Kyo… my blood is not your snack! Stop it or the kids will follow! 

"Yu…ya?"

"Oh, what is it?" Yuya brought the kit to the kitchen. "Hehe… this is for… just incase…" Yuya kneeled down next to him and continued to clean the mess.

Kyo examined her while she was doing so. She reminded him of someone he knew but he didn't remember, it was vague. Her actions remind him of someone so dear to him, but he wasn't sure who it was.

Yuya noticed Kyo's strange behavior and coughed. "Uh, Kyo… I'm finished with this… do you want me to throw it out? Or do you want to keep it?"

"Just… leave it, I'll do it myself. You go rest…" Kyo looked at her one last time before turning to clean the heap.

"Okay, if you need something else, don't be reluctant to do so…" Yuya told him as she got up on her feet.

Kyo smirked. "Alright, can I have you in my room, on my bed, tonight?"

Yuya blushed and ran away. "You pervert!" she yelled.

Kyo… you pervert! 

"Again… that was her voice…" Kyo sighed and finished cleaning up. After that, he went upstairs to go to his room.

As Kyo was passing Yuya's room, he heard her talking to herself. "Huh? Talking alone?" Kyo opened her door just a bit to check.

"Camera Obscura… the camera that captures spirits… a camera that focuses our spirit energy, to… help or kill ghosts?" Yuya was reading something on the study table. "Sadness that consumes the spirits… will be directed at someone who is happy… for eternity… free the spirit's pain, life and death… free the spirit's pain…"

"You okay?"

"Ah! When did you come in! Care to knock!" Yuya turned to look at Kyo. She closed the book she was reading.

"What were you mumbling about?" Kyo approached Yuya slowly.

Yuya got up from the chair. She stopped Kyo from looking at what she was reading. "I didn't mumble, I didn't mumble at all!"

"You are hiding something it seems…" Kyo folded his hands. "Tell me, c'mon now…"

Yuya huffed. "Alright already! I… I was talking to myself! I was just reminiscing about nii-sama…" Yuya closed the book she was reading as if it was not the subject. "I _miss_ him so…"

Kyo stood very still. "So… you miss him…? Do you want a hug or something?"

Yuya shook her head violently. "Oh… god, no! Just leave me… I need to be alone…" Yuya hugged herself, pretending to be crying.

Kyo looked at her and left without question. He didn't close the door; he left a small opening, big enough for him to see from across his room. "If… you're scared or something… just come to my room."

Yuya's eyes widened. She turned her back to the door. 'Now, what should I do!' her mind said frantically.

Yuya sadly sat on her bed, pulling the blanket as she did so, covering her small body. She brought her brother's chest to her chest. She opened the chest to look at the camera and the pictures.

She looked through the pictures. She noticed writing at the back of each picture. One of the pictures shows a figure with silver hair, tied into a ponytail with a red ribbon. She couldn't see the face. Yuya turned to look at the writing and read it out aloud. "Man with ponytail, holding a bloodied candle."

Yuya scanned the picture for a bloodied candle. There was none. "Weird…"

'The camera shows traces of blood that cannot be seen with the naked eye' 

Yuya remembered what she had read from the notebook and took out the camera from the chest. The second her hand touched the camera, she felt a tingling sensation coursing through her. "What?" she blurted out.

She steadied the camera in her hands. The camera was really old fashioned. Using bellows still… a little crack on the big lens. She brought the camera to look at the photo. "Ah-" she gasped.

The man in the picture looked back at her, and yes, he WAS holding a bloodied candle. His startling gold eyes looking menacingly at Yuya. Now, Yuya could see that he was wearing blue ceremonial-looking attire, also very bloody.

"Oh my god…" she threw the picture back into the chest. She took out another one. This time, showing a man with sunglasses on, holding a fan. He was smiling. She read the writing, saying "Man that appears zoomed in".

She brought the camera to the photo. Her eyes widened and she shrieked. The said man in the picture had his face covering the whole photo, his eyes that were covered before had no protection and his eyes were SO bloody.

Her shriek made Kyo bust into her room, wearing nothing else but his boxers. "What the hell happened!"

Yuya turned to look at him and blushed furiously red. "PERVERT!" she shrieked. She threw the camera by reflex at Kyo who caught it just as it neared his handsome face.

"This…" he said as he looked at the camera.

Yuya gasped out, "Oh… my…"

-

A/N: How's that? Can you guys guess who those _ghosts_ are? Easy right? If you guys can guess my age, chapter 3 will commence as soon as I have the time… (clues: check all my other fanfics) or maybe, I told you guys already? I'm so forgetful! Review! Thanks to you who reviewed, I LOVE you!


	3. Chapter 3

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Hour Three – The Mibu House of Sacrifices

-

Previously…

"_This…" he said as he looked at the camera._

Yuya gasped out, "Oh… my…" 

-

"Where did you get this! Why is Nozomu's chest with you!" he asked at the top of his lungs.

Yuya was too scared to answer; she looked away, not wanting to see his eyes. Kyo walked to her bed and sat next to her. "Talk, woman…" he lifted her face up to look at him. She shook under his touch.

"Kyo… I… Nii-sama gave it to me! Let me go, don't touch me!" she slapped his face away and quickly regretted when she did so.

Kyo touched his abused cheek and smirked. "Woman… don't try to act as if you OWN me…" Kyo turned to look at her welling eyes.

"Kyo… I… I am so sorry! I…!" a hand reached her neck and grasped it tightly.

"Don't apologize twice a day… now, talk!" he barked at her.

"L… let go…" she demanded. Kyo loosened his grip but still didn't let go.

"Just tell me, this camera is bad luck… I'm sure it killed your brother." Kyo watched her expression change. She was thoroughly looking confused.

Yuya made a small cry when Kyo tightened his grip. She managed to blurt out three words, "It. Did. Not."

"What do you mean?" Kyo released her and stared at her red cheeks. "I'm quite… sorry for choking you…" his apology felt forced by Yuya's ears.

Yuya nodded. "Well, you should be! And… Nii-sama, he died not because of that camera… I think it's because of the house he investigated…" she explained.

"I went there… what's the deal with it?" Kyo sat casually in his boxers. Yuya bit her lip and gave him a pillow to cover it. "Oh… are you bothered by this thing?" Kyo asked her as he received the pillow.

"Yes… I am."

"Very well… and how did you know about that camera? It was supposed to be a secret…"

"Nii-sama left me this chest… Kyoshiro gave his notebook to me and he explained it. I'm not supposed to tell you about this but… there is this letter that told me that he predicted his death somehow… and I think you should take a look at it…" she gave him the chest that contained the photos and the letter. She also gave him the notebook to have a look-see.

Kyo examined all off them and managed to finish everything less than 30 minutes. "I understand that Nozomu hid a lot of things from me… he's sneaky…" Kyo summed up.

Yuya huffed. "Don't talk ill of the dead," she told him.

"Like you didn't… well, I suppose I should continue investigating that house… tomorrow would be a busy day…" Kyo yawned at the thought.

"Uhm… can I come? Go with you too?" Yuya asked hesitantly.

Kyo glanced at her. "Why should you?" he finally asked.

"I… I am afraid that YOU might die! And by the way, two is company! Not a crowd! The spirits won't mind at all! And also… I might find clues about Nii-sama's death and maybe even…"

"Uraha-san?" Kyo finished.

"Maybe… but you HAVE to bring me! I don't want to be alone in this house!" Yuya whined.

"Hmph… fine… be awake at dawn, we will go there at seven sharp. I'll make breakfast tomorrow… don't oversleep." Kyo threw her the pillow he used and got up to leave. "I hope you're not fussy with proper Japanese breakfast… goodnight…" he left her room and still left the door open.

"Goodnight…" Yuya turned her nightlight on and clapped her hands to turn off the main lights. She closed her brother's chest after packing everything inside it. She then went to sleep…

…

"Wake up!"

"Oh… Kyo… stop it… no… not there… ah…" she moaned.

'Is she having me do things to her in her dreams! This must be put to an end!' Kyo thought. He had an idea. "Wake up, stupid…" he blew into her right ear.

Yuya awoke at the tingling feeling at her ears. She blushed when she had her face turned to look at a smirking Kyo. She backed away suddenly and ended up hitting her head at the nightlight. "Ow… you bastard!" she shouted at him. "You just ruined a good dre-" she stopped and blushed.

"Oh… having me in your dreams, I see? Why do you dream when I am here in the flesh?" Kyo questioned her with a sneer.

"Ah… you… just get out!" She threw her pillow along with her lacy red bra that she placed under it the other night at Kyo. "Oh!" she gasped out.

Kyo grabbed the bra and smelled it. "Oh… rosy… it turns me on…" Kyo jumped on her and started to tickle her in a rough way.

Yuya couldn't fight back her laughs. "H-hey! Kyo! Please… ahahaha!" she tried to push back Kyo. Kyo found it as a sign to make it rougher. "Kyo!" she yelled out.

Kyo stopped when he saw how rosy her cheeks were. He reached out his hands to touch her underwear and slid it in a swift moment. He smelled his said fingers. "How wet… and this is not pee…" he told her.

Yuya blushed. 'How could he say that!' "You pervert!" she shouted at him. Kyo covered his ears and barked out a laugh. Yuya blushed even more.

"Interesting… how old are you again?" he demanded.

Yuya didn't meet his gaze. "I'm eighteen…" she mumbled.

"Oh, not a big difference then… you DO know how old I am?" Kyo inquired.

Yuya shook her head. "No… I don't."

Kyo sighed. "I'm twenty-one…" he folded his hands. "Not _big_ for you right?"

"Why should I answer you!" Yuya asked. "I don't want you to touch me! Not even like what you did… do not tickle me like that! You… you touched my 'parts' too… you are so unforgivable!" Yuya shouted and buried her face in her hands.

"Do you like me?" Kyo threw her off guard with that question.

"I… I do not!" she denied with a furious look in her eyes.

"Then why do you dream?"

"I dream because it's the only thing to do when you sleep, whether or not you are in it, I don't give even a damn! If you just let me be for just this once, I promise to not dream about you again!" Yuya pointed to her door, indicating for him to leave.

Kyo left her alone because he knew he pulled a string. He closed the door slowly and Yuya shouted, "Hurry up!". Kyo slammed the door shut.

"Bitch…" Kyo murmured. He could hear Yuya's sobs getting louder. He seemed to have regret for what he had done; he would do nothing to make it better though.

…

"Just eat."

"No, I don't want to…" she shook her head like a child.

"Look, I'm in a way sorry for what I did, I'm not regretting, so don't get your hopes up!" Kyo said with a faint blush.

"Kyo… you are SO ignorant and arrogant of a man! A simple 'sorry' is enough!" Yuya told him.

"Hey! I never thought that you would get so emotional! I tickled you, so what! It's not that I peeked or whatsoever… look, I am NOT going to waste my breath discussing this on the way to that house! Either eat it or be in it!" Kyo slammed the table so hard that the plate and silverware on it jumped from shock.

…

"Did you eat it, girl?" Kyo asked her before getting into his black convertible.

"Just a little…" Yuya got in the car and sighed. "I had no mood for eating, you should be PROUD that I ate it, even a little!"

"Did you wash the plate?" Kyo asked again as he started the car's engine. Getting no reply from Yuya, he honked her. "Oi!"

"No, I did not, I threw that plate away and it hit a bird as I did so, that bird fell on the roof and now, you have a dead bird as a collection!" Yuya retorted sarcastically.

Kyo smirked. "Oh, you are so gonna be sorry if that's true…" Kyo chuckled when Yuya had a disbelieving look on her face. "Did you bring the camera with you?"

A silent nod answered him. "Good, now, let's get a move on."

…

Kyoshiro ducked the red kendama ball coming at his way. "Whoa! Sasuke-kun! Watch what you are doing!" he yelped.

"It's YOU who should watch out… where did you hide Yukimura this time?" Sasuke kept directing the kendama ball at poor Kyoshiro until it whacked his head two or three times.

"OKAY! He's in my room, playing games, you ought to join him, it's a fun game, Fatal Frame 3, Yuki screamed most of the time, that's why I left him… he liked the Crawling Woman ghost because of her petite and slender body… I don't know what he sees in that wench…" Kyoshiro sighed.

"Yukimura's out of his mind… I'll go talk to him… you better treat your bruises or you'll die eventually…" Sasuke said before he left.

…

Kyo parked his car outside the gate. He removed his sunglasses and tucked it in his pocket. "This is the house, you can still back out now, and you can stay in the car."

"I am not scared! This house looks fine to me… see? What harm can it do to me?" Yuya touched the gate lightly and the gate opened with a loud eerie sound. "Whoa!" Yuya yelped and backed out.

"Hah… are you sure?" Kyo shoved her away.

Yuya pulled his sleeve. "Hey! Don't leave me!"

Both of them reached the front door after a long walk from the gate. It was locked. Yuya asked Kyo whether or not he had the key. Kyo shrugged and kicked the door open, hard. Yuya gasped.

"Black-belt in karate and judo. There's no key, yet… it's always locked… scared now?" Kyo lifted his brows.

Yuya bit her lip. "I am not! Let's go before the outside wind gets into the house."

Kyo went inside, Yuya followed close. She tucked at his sleeve. He whirled around to see what's the problem. "Why are you sticking with me so close?" he asked.

Yuya flushed. "Uh… I… well, if I let you be, you'll leave me and in the end it's YOU who'll shout!" Yuya accused.

Kyo glared at her. "Moi? Shout? In your dreams… but if I'm not mistaken… you won't dream about me anymore… just shut up and follow" Kyo said seriously.

Yuya groaned and she had to walk the same pace as Kyo did. "Where are we going, Kyo?"

"Somewhere… the tatami hallway of this house will lead us there… we're going to the hearth room," Kyo took Yuya's hand. "In case we have to run… I don't want you to slow us down…"

Yuya gripped his hand tighter. She gulped. "Have you seen _one_ in this house, Kyo?"

"A spirit? Just once. It's not that pleasant."

"Wha-?"

"That thing chased me away… the one with silver hair… he chased me away with a tsunami and water-dragons…" Kyo gritted his teeth. "Since then, Nozomu forbid me to come."

"Oh, OH!" Yuya clamped her mouth shut. "You were scared, weren't you?" Yuya teased.

"I was not scared. That thing can really kill me…" Kyo muttered. "We're near that hearth room, I remember Nozomu saying something about a spirit that uses fire in here, he didn't manage to snap one picture at all, the spirit was aggressive."

"Did you bring any weapon, just in case?" Yuya asked worriedly. Kyo shook his head.

"No, well, ready with your feet and that camera too…" Kyo took his stance. "I'm gonna kick this door open. Ready?"

Yuya nodded. "Um."

DUSH!

Kyo entered the room and scanned every bit of it. Nothing happened. "That spirit's sleeping maybe…"

SHA

"K-Kyo… the fireplace… it lit by itself!" Yuya pointed to the said item. A spirit emerged from the flames. And it looked annoyed. "Oh my…" Yuya gasped out.

Leave… or you'll be welcomed by death with my flames… the spirit warned.

"We're not leaving… not this time, not yet…" Kyo said with mocking tone.

The spirit flew up high. It looked so light. A translucent katana can be seen, held by his right hand. You should at least know my name before you die… it's Hotaru the spirit dove down at both of them, flames engulfing him as he did so.

"Ah!" Yuya held the camera high up and clicked the shutter as Hotaru came swooping.

ARGH! Hotaru flew back with force. He hit the hearth and sank into it. Spiritual powers… unpredicted… just like _that_ woman… his voice disappeared after that.

Yuya fell back and landed on her butt. "Ow…" she groaned as she rubbed her butt.

Kyo didn't care about her. He knelt down to retrieve the Polaroid that lay on the mat. It was the photograph of Hotaru. "Hmph, what did you do?"

Yuya looked up at Kyo who just got up. "What?" she asked, confused.

Kyo threw the picture at her. "Look."

Yuya examined the picture. "Huh?"

The picture was clear even though it was taken hastily. Hotaru's handsome face was clear, blood on his face was also clear. Yuya looked at the camera that was on her lap. She steadied it and looked through it. "Ah…" she gasped.

In the picture, Hotaru was lighting up the hearth with his katana, the silver haired man present and also a couple of hooded figures. Yuya gave Kyo a look at it.

"Strange… isn't it?" Yuya embraced her shivering body.

"Yuya, take a picture of that hearth," Kyo ordered her.

"Why?"

"Just do it."

"Oh, okay!" Yuya steadied the camera and took a picture of the hearth. The Polaroid came out instantly. Yuya waited and waved it around to muse herself.

Kyo snatched it when it was already dry. He examined it. "Hmph… knew it…" he passed it to Yuya. Yuya stuck her tongue out.

Yuya made her eyes to look at it. "Oh my god… how could he…?" she murmured.

The hearth was zoomed in. The coal wasn't coal… it was… humans. Either they were burnt alive or their corpses were used to light the fire up. Yuya fought the urge to throw up.

"Kyo, let's end this for today. We can come again tomorrow…" Yuya pleaded.

Kyo didn't look at her. "Alright. Let's go, I know it's getting dark around here already."

Yuya blinked. "Huh? We just spent less than an hour here…" she looked at her watch and showed it to Kyo. "See?"

Kyo slapped her hand away. "I know that, but this place is as strange as it can get. Let's just leave."

Yuya held the camera close and held Kyo's hand tightly. "Let's hurry, please!"

-

A/N: here's chapter 3! I'm feeling a lil' giddy right now… I just started my period today… so… . Please review. Sorry about Hotaru…


	4. Chapter 4

-

Hour Four – The Night of The Living Dead

-

Yuya took a long shower. She looked at her feet and the water pooling at them as she blocked the drain. The water trickled down her body oh so smoothly, as her skin was like porcelain and the curve of her body was like the edge of a waterfall's perfect curve. She turned the knob off and took a small palm-sized pool of shampoo and lathered it gently into her wet hair. She rinsed it with cold water after that. She took a dab of moisturizer to go with it. Foam pooled around her feet. She covered her whole body with soap and then washed herself off of it. She then turned the knob for good and stepped out of the shower and came face to face with Kyo.

Wide-eyed, Yuya couldn't manage to speak anything. Kyo grabbed her towel from its hanger and covered Yuya with it. "You're taking a long time, now get out, I need to take a shower."

Yuya stepped out of the bathroom, still couldn't manage to speak anything. Once Kyo slammed the door shut behind her, Yuya turned around, beet red and shouted at the door. "PERVERT!" and she stomped her foot before marching to go to her room.

…

Finished wearing her nightgown, Yuya combed her hair. She didn't tie it for the night. She glared at herself in the mirror. "Stupid Yuya… why didn't you cover yourself up!"

"Maybe, it's coz you want him to look at it?"

Yuya turned to face the menace interrupting her. "YOU…" She said through gritted teeth. She arose from her vanity chair and marched at Kyo. She pointed Kyo squarely at the chest. "You-perverted-lowly-unmannered-demon-with-checkered-boxers…" She took a deep breath and continued, "Where the hell is your trousers!"

"Oh, little girl's still bothered with this small matter? I wouldn't mind if you walk around half-naked, you know?" Kyo suggested.

Yuya's cheeks flared pink. "Oh, I hate you, you know that!" Yuya punched his chest once. "What do you want now?"

"I got an info on Hotaru…" Kyo paused and continued, "Let's go to the study. I'll show you."

…

"Oh, so this is the study?" Yuya said abruptly. Kyo rolled his eyes.

"Woman, you know what? Just shut the hell up and sit!" Kyo took a seat on a black leather couch. Yuya sat opposite of him on a white one. "Now, listen to my explanation. Look at these old books. They are folklore books and here are a few literature ones. Read this one first."

He handed a red tome to Yuya who took it rudely. She flicked the pages lazily. She read the text casually.

Tome of Fire 

'_This is the beginning of all the elements of nature. From fire, other elements are formed. Bearers of the Fire are supposedly aggressive in nature and are powerful spiritually. "The Mibu House of Sacrifices" has chosen Hotaru as the first Fire Bearer and also as one of the Goyousei. His sacrificial pillar is located in the hearth room in the hearth. His responsibility is to always keep the Mibu _warm_ in such a way, that is: to burn and offer the souls of the human sacrifices to the gods with the strongest hellish fire that will never produce any pungent smell coming from a corpse.'_

'_These souls were to be dressed in a ceremonial attire and are to fast for a year without any food other than water. When the time has come for the ceremony, the soon to be sacrifices' eyes are gouged and burnt first to be coal to burn themselves. These sacrifices are given an hour to pray to the gods before Hotaru sends them off to the other world. This first ceremony, "The Ceremony of Birth" must be done before the second ceremony can commence. After all of them are burnt and their corpses have been coal, Hotaru must then be sacrificed to honor the forgiveness of the gods. The descent of Hotaru will continue this ceremony after the time has come.'_

Yuya dropped the book on her lap. "What… the… hell…?"

"So… what do you think?" Kyo chuckled at her expression.

"Hotaru was also sacrificed! He wouldn't be that happy… would he?" Yuya asked him.

"Would you?" Kyo asked her back. Yuya disagreed. "If you read this one, you might understand… the man of water is Shinrei, Hotaru's half-brother. He's the one with silver hair. They weren't on god terms."

Yuya grabbed the book Kyo pointed at. It was a blue tome. Yuya read it cautiously. The text was nearly the same.

_Tome of Water_

'_Water is the element that perishes fire in its nature. Not the strongest but the most perpetual. Water can never stop its flow unless you stop its advance. Water is aggressive but is also loyal and fair. "The Mibu House of Sacrifices" has chosen Shinrei as the first Water Bearer and also as one of the Goyousei. His sacrificial pillar is located at the Lagoon of Blood. His responsibility is to keep the Mibu safe in such a way, that is: to drown his own blood relative in the lagoon. The water will always remain clean that way.'_

'_The sacrifice would be Shinrei's half-brother Hotaru. This ceremony, "The Ceremony of Death" can only commence once Hotaru's responsibility is done. Shinrei must then drown his brother without regret of tears. If even one drop of tear will fall, Hotaru will never rest in peace. If Hotaru doesn't rest in peace, Shinrei must then drown himself to calm Hotaru. Only after this the next ceremony can commence.'_

"So… Shinrei was the one who sacrificed him…? What a weird ceremony…" Yuya closed her eyes and sighed. "What kind of religious cult is this!"

"It's the Mibu, Uraha's ancestor. Glad I'm not one though… Kyo- _White Kyo_ is one too…" Kyo said through gritted teeth. Yuya laughed.

"You mean Kyoshiro right…? Why don't you want to mention him?" Yuya laughed uncontrollably when Kyo's face twitched.

"Do NOT mention that bastard's name…" Kyo said warningly. Yuya zipped her mouth, still giggling.

"Well, what are these literature books for?" Yuya took one of them and read through. "Oh, interesting… well, Kyo where'd you get all these books?"

Kyo took the red and blue tome. "These… are from the public library… and these…" he picked up the other books, "Are mine…"

"Oh… I doubt you've read them all…"

"Oh, I have… ask me the page of what you are saying or some of the words…" Kyo handed her the books. Yuya looked through one of them and said a small 'Aha!'.

"Okay! Uh, from what page is this? 'We, the soul burial priests have killed to honor Kuze'!"

Kyo thought for a while and smirked. "Page 23, chapter 6."

Yuya's face turned sour… "O-kay… now… we go on to… 'Night of The Living Dead'! 'The priests call upon the souls who have died vengefully to accomplish their vengeance, this is to… Kyo… look at this…"

Kyo went to her side and peered into the book. "Oh, 'kill off any soul that is near… or those who are of… Mibu relatives'?" Kyo raised a brow. "So?"

Yuya continued. "'When one who disturbs the spirits, takes something from them, the spirits will pay them back by killing and showing them how they will die…', don't you think this relates to nii-sama's death?"

Kyo thought for a while and nodded. "Could be… well, it's getting late, go to sleep, I'll finish this."

Yuya got up and bowed. "Good night, Kyo."

"Yeah…"

…

_Yuya… no… why… _

_Mibu Kyo… stop this, Yuya-san is the right sacrifice for this, someone who have great spiritual power will close the Door of Hell… you agreed to this. _

_I didn't know that you were going to tie her, cut her and even hang her body and let her bleed like THAT! I thought you were going to use her power ONLY!_

_As a Mibu, you know very well that we discourage love affairs… you even kissed her, in front of the other small Shrine Maidens!_

_ENOUGH! I am not going to let go of this matter! I am to loosen all ties with the Mibu! From now on, I am known as Onime-no-Kyo, the man who will have red demonic eyes, the man who drowns in a pool of blood! _

_Kyo-sama, what are you doing! _

_Sakuya, please bury Yuya's body…_

_No, don't gouge your eyes!_

_ARGH! _

…

Yuya woke up, surprised. "I… I fell asleep?" Yuya looked into the vanity table across from her. "I… I'm crying…? Why…? What was that dream?"

"Ah!" a painful sting startled her.

Yuya looked at where she felt the pain. Her hand had a small cut, bleeding heavily. "When…? What… what happened?

-

A/N: Ah... i didn't check this with my BETA-er, ah... i'm not used to have someone check it before. I just wanted to post this as soon as possible. Um... i'm gonna edit my other previous chapters since i made some mistakes. Um... hope you like it or just simply think that it's worth your time reading such a short chapter. I hope you understand it! Review.


	5. Chapter 5

-

Hour Five – The Gods That Cry

-

Yuya appeared weak that morning. Kyo was already sitting on the table, making a face. Yuya pulled out the chair and slumped on it. Kyo passed the rice to her. Yuya picked on it lazily, uncaring, to say the proper way.

Kyo's face turned into super pissed mode. "What happened to you!" Kyo threw his chopsticks to the side and grabbed a spoon. "Look at yourself!"

Yuya's eyes leveled with the spoon and she saw a very pale her. "Who's this? Me?" she took the spoon from Kyo. "How come? I put a lot of make up alrea- oops."

"What are you trying to hide, woman?" Kyo glared at her intensely. Yuya looked away, unsure of what to say.

She held out her hand that was covered with thick bandages. "It doesn't want to stop bleeding. I didn't want to bother you about- ouch!"

Kyo yanked her hand so that he can see the wound. The blood mark can be seen from the thick bandages. "Why is the blood so dark? When did this start?" he demanded.

"Last night… I tried to stop the bleeding but… I didn't want to bother you and… oh… let me tell you this… separate my laundry please, there's a LOT of blood on my clothes… and I do mean a LOT."

"How did this start? And answer why it's dark."

"I woke up and then it bled. And the dark color… I don't know. Do you think I should go see a doctor?" Yuya held her weak hand and sighed. "It's painful…"

Kyo brushed his bangs. "Well, let's go see my friend; he can do something about it…" Kyo smirked at her. "Just eat first; I got some info that would make you very happy."

Yuya's face lit up and she smiled. "Really!" she asked enthusiastically.

Kyo patted her head. "Yup… eat first. It took all my time making this."

-

On the way to the clinic, Kyo was going to tell her some facts he found out about the issue they discussed about. "Well, if I tell you all of it, you won't understand so I'll tell you some of the important bits…your spirit might be dampened but I doubt that…"

Yuya huffed. "Alright already! Tell me!"

"Have you heard about the folklore, 'The Gods That Cry'? It has some reflections about this thing. First, it tells us a story about a living dead, a zombie that feeds off its own relatives and then go back to the Afterworld. Secondly, it tells us the relation of all the Amakura Ichizoku similarly to the Mibu Ichizoku. Third, it also tells us about the Camera Obscura and its creator, Kunihiko Asou."

"You're not getting to the point yet, are you?" Yuya rolled her eyes.

"Let me finish, little girl. I also found out about where to find more about the creator, it's at Akira's antique shop. He's my student in case you're curious. I didn't really find much, but for now, I think the only thing that you need to know is that: yes, Nozomu's death has some connections with this information."

Yuya turned to Kyo with a puzzled look. "You mean that's all! No info about the deaths and all! This has indeed dampened me a bit… are you meaning to say that it's hard to find more about this? Even through the internet?"

Kyo shook his head. "The internet doesn't tell you much. We need to do research by ourselves; much more satisfying… plus, the internet doesn't really put the important bits into its so called information…"

"Bummer…" Yuya pouted her mouth.

"Well, after you meet with my friend, your spirit will be lifted back…"

-

KTING-KTING!

The entrance of the clinic was painted with pink paint that burned into Yuya's eyes. She had to shield her eyes as she entered it. Inside was much more painful though… flowers everywhere and god… the walls were pinktasia…

"Hello welcome to Akari's Clinic! How may I treat you!" came a singsong voice.

Yuya hid behind Kyo as she saw the crazy looking woman with the brightest of the brightest pink in the room, her hair. Kyo actually laughed at Yuya's reaction.

"Relax… he won't eat you… even though you ARE a girl…" Kyo patted her head. "Yo, Akari, long time no see… you pink haired freak…"

Akari shrieked. "Oh, my darling Kyo! I thought you loved me! Who is that woman behind you? Is she your sister? Tell me she is!"

Akari ran dramatically towards Kyo but Yuya's leg was faster and she kicked Akari at the ribs. "Stay the hell away from this pervert, you're gonna regret it!"

Akari clutched his stomach. "Oh… such a strong kick… who're you actually?"

"She's Nozomu's kid sister." Kyo told him as he took a seat on the pink leather sofa. "She's bleeding heavily, her hand I mean… check her."

Akari huffed and dragged Yuya with him into the small room. Inside was much more simpler than outside and it was not pink. Akari ordered her to sit down while he took out a few necessary apparatus. "What's your name?"

"Yuya. Shiina Yuya."

"Why, hello Yuya… I see that you're Nozomu's sister? Are you still sad, dearie?" Akari sat on the chair opposite of Yuya. "I'm Akari, I'm sorry that you had to kick me… I'm always like that when I see Kyo…"

"Well, I'm the one who's supposed to be sorry!" Yuya bowed her head and it hit the table separating them both. "Oo…"

"Oh, sorry about that…" Akari apologized. "That table's there so that when I check Kyo, I won't really get to him, you know what I mean?"

"Yeah… um, may I ask if that you're a girl? Because Kyo keeps addressing you as a _he_."

Akari halted when he tried to check Yuya's hand. "Oh… that…" Akari gulped. "Well, I was one… but now I'm a woman! I tried to… well… aha! I did this because my soul was a woman's so… haha…"

"Okay. I won't pressure you, well, be careful with my hand, it hurts so much!"

Akari checked her bleeding hand. "Why is it so dark? Well this cut is a lil' weird… it's not deep, but it's at your veins… and this… my goodness… why aren't you dead!"

Yuya's eyes widened. "Do you want me to die?"

"No… but… this injury is enough to kill someone in an instant… and god, this dark blood of yours need lab testing…" Akari took out a tube and a syringe. "I'm gonna take some of your blood… are you okay about this?"

Yuya gulped but she sucked it up anyways… "Ouch!"

"Sorry, not so fond of needles…" _She_ pulled the syringe out of Yuya's arm. Akari then injected it into the bottle. "That should be enough… well, I'll just send this to the lab at the Mibu Hospital and then I'll send Kyo the results, okay?"

"But what about-" Yuya started.

Akari took out stitches from her medical bag. "This will hurt but not so much because I'm quite good with stitching. Well, it's better if you close your eyes, okay?"

-

"How are you?" Kyo asked Yuya who just came out from the room. She was so pale.

"I-I'm never gonna… never gonna come back here… ever again…" She mumbled to herself. Akari came out happily, a big smile on her face.

"She's fine now… I stitched her. I've got her blood samples, I'm gonna take it to the labs for a few blood tests… like the type of blood and all…" Akari took out a few iron tablets. "Yuya, take this daily for now, I mean three times a day, once in the morning, once in the afternoon and once in the night."

"Do I have to?" Yuya groaned.

"Yes, unless you want to die because of blood loss. Yuya, I'm serious when I talk about this… you can be so weak and… did you pass your period for this month?" Akari raised an eyebrow.

Yuya shook her head and she blushed when she remember that Kyo was around to hear her. She turned around and she stuck out her tongue. "Damn you!"

"Well, that settles it, you'll need to take those tablets, like it or not…" Akari decided.

"What's it taste like?"

"Oh, iron… metal… but… it's not painful to eat."

Yuya sighed and got herself dragged out of the clinic by Kyo…

-

"So… she's reincarnated? This is interesting…" a freaky man with sunglasses said to himself. Taking out his peace fan, he floated and dove to a small hole. "We'll meet again, Onime no Kyo…"

-

A/N: O.O! what's gonna happen? i don't know, really! did not check this too... sorry my BETA, can't get to you. Since i was rushing to do all my stories... this was bad, wasn't it? R&R if you want.


	6. Chapter 6

-

Hour Six – The Curse

-

Yuya woke up in the middle of the night, annoyed. She looked at the table clock next to her. She gritted her teeth. 'Just in time for iron tabs…' she thought. She grabbed the medicine bottle and sighed again. She took one and swallowed it, without water (A/N: like me!) and groaned.

"That was not so refreshing!" she complained.

"You should've used water."

Yuya turned to her left and shrieked. "ARGHHHHHHHHHH!" and a hand stopped her from more yelling. Yuya's mouth was closed shut. "Mmmhhh!" she mumbled.

The hand released her. She glared at the owner. "You… who are you?"

"Me…? I'm Shinrei…" and the owner leaned down and kissed her. "And you will die for interfering… with us, the Mibu Clan…" he said after the kiss.

Yuya gasped. "You… you're… the water guy! You're the guy who killed his own brother!" Yuya backed away. "And that kiss…?"

"It will kill you… if you keep meddling…" Shinrei wiped his mouth. "How pathetic… even _she_ was stronger…"

"She…? Who?" Yuya inquired. 'This must be a dream… he's dead!' she thought. Shinrei leaned down again and bit her lip. "Ow!"

"Why do you ask such questions? I am doing this for your own sake… we are cursed. Our clan is cursed and so will you…" Shinrei sighed and sat down on the bed. "You see… not everyone from my clan would do something like this… and I'm doing this only because you can stop that Demon from stopping us yet again…"

Yuya backed away when he leaned in on her again. "No! Don't come near me!" she shouted but again… she was kissed. But it ended as soon as it started. "Why… why do you keep doing that?"

Shinrei covered her mouth again and smiled. "The first one was to warn you, the bite was to tell you that this isn't a dream and the last kiss… I just wanted to do it again."

He got up from the bed and he called upon a sparkly water dragon. He turned to Yuya and aimed it at her. He ordered it to attack her and it came at her at lightning speed. Yuya closed her eyes and shrieked.

"KYOOOOOOOOO!" she shrieked as she shielded herself.

The bedroom door was opened with force. "What happened!"

Yuya opened her closed eyes and smiled. "Kyo!" she ran to him and flung herself on him. Kyo was shocked. She broke down crying.

"What happened?" Kyo asked her after she settled down a bit. He shook her body when she refused to let go of him. He forced her to look at him. "Look at me and stop crying!" he raised his voice so that she knows he was serious.

Yuya revealed her very red eyes at him. Her face was very red and she was sweating heavily. The only thought that came to his head was…

"Did someone rape you?"

And a slap answered that.

"Then what…? Why are you crying?" he said with a little sane tone. No mocking in it, no suggestive content in it… just normal concerned tone. He wiped her stray tear. He lifted her chin so that he could see her face.

What he saw was very unnatural on her. There was no emotion in her eyes. She was shivering all over. That was the first time Kyo had ever felt sorry for her. "Tell me… slowly… what had happened to you, Yuya?"

The only thing that came out of her mouth before she fell down and fainted was the word…

"Mibu"

Kyo caught her before she hit the floor. And he sighed into her hair. "What the hell happened here?"

…

Yuya woke up and saw that she wasn't in her room. And it surely wasn't her brother's room. She was on a very comfortable bed and… she was naked. She was annoyed that she didn't realize that before realizing in what room she was.

"Oh… you're awake."

Yuya looked at the owner of the voice. And she muttered curse words directed at him before she asked the question. "Why must I be naked and why am I not in my room!"

Kyo smirked. "Well… I was afraid that you will do something again that needs my supervision just like before…"

"When did I do this thing and answer my first question!"

"Well, you did something that made you look like you were… possessed and well… I helped wash your body and I washed your clothes…" Kyo stared at her covered body.

Yuya blushed and spat out a "Don't look at me and WHY DIDN'T YOU PUT ANY CLOTHES BACK ON ME!"

"Well, I washed your clothes, be grateful for that."

"ARGH!" she threw the pillow next to her at him. Kyo grabbed it and he smirked yet again.

"Kyo… you're a pervert. You know that?" she clutched the blanket tighter to her body. "I'm gonna kill you one day…" she spat out.

"Kill me, eh?" Kyo raised an eyebrow at her. "Kill moi?"

-

A/N: It's short. I'm sorry. I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... please don't hate me. R&R and SDK is not and never mine!


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: SDK is not mine and the whole idea is Tecmo's.

-

Hour Seven – The Midnight Marauder

-

Previously…

"_Kyo… you're a pervert. You know that?" she clutched the blanket tighter to her body. "I'm gonna kill you one day…" she spat out._

"_Kill me, eh?" Kyo raised an eyebrow at her. "Kill moi?"_

-

"You're never gonna succeed in killing me, woman…" Kyo took a step forward and bared his fangs at her. "I am not a normal human being… I am a DEMON…" he whispered to her left ear.

Yuya shivered when she felt Kyo's breath on her cheeks. She was red, from the tip of her hair to the tip of her toes. "I… I…" Yuya started but then lost the will to continue.

When Kyo backed away from her, he stared at her covered body before looking away. "I what?"

"I want my clothes back, please…" Yuya looked at herself on the mirror next to her. She was pale and she could see another pair of jade eyes behind her. "Wha-" she gasped out. A shrouded figure was fully seen now and Yuya could see that it was a woman.

"_Please… stop my pain…"_ the jade eyed woman figure pleaded. A hand was felt on Yuya's right shoulder. _"Be very careful… Yuya…"_

"Kyo… I… I can't move my arm…" Yuya gasped out. Kyo was dazed himself and his eyes were wide open. He can't seem to move.

"_The curse will never be lifted without the blood… the blood that is needed… the curse that ended the life… of a maiden once respected and loved…"_ the figure gripped Yuya's shoulder harder with every word she spoke. Yuya let out a moan because of the pain. _"Please… release me of this pain!"_

…And she vanished…

Yuya fell off the bed with a loud 'THUD' and fainted. Kyo's legs can now move freely and he hurried to look at Yuya's condition.

"Yuya… wake up!" Kyo patted her cheeks which were so cold. "Yuya… Yu-" Kyo stopped and was shocked to see what was happening in front of him.

Yuya's shoulder which was touched by the figure was very black and very bloody. A strange nauseating scent could be smelled. Yuya was sweating heavily as she began writhing in pain. She was clutching her injured wrist tightly. "Argh… Kyo… help me…" she gasped out.

Kyo rolled her over and placed her on his lap. The blanket she was using was also full of blood. Kyo yanked the blanket off of her and he didn't care whether or not she was stark naked. He can see deep cuts on her body, her legs, her abdomen… her arms… they were all bloody. The stitched cut was now open and blood was coming out of her like a river. Kyo was sweating heavily as he didn't really know what to do.

"Oh… what should I do? The hospital is too faraway… egh… I have to get help from the nearest neighbor then… but that neighbor is still new to this place… and I haven't said 'hello' yet…" Kyo carried Yuya to the bathroom. In there, he placed her in the bathtub and filled it with water. "I wonder if it hurts."

Yuya was unconscious and it seemed like she wasn't in pain at all with the fast-flowing water above her head. The water turned crimson as soon as it finishes filling up the tub. The once pure white ceramic tub is now as red as his eyes.

Kyo sighed and turned to leave her there to get help but before that… he said…

"Don't you die on me, you hear?" and he leaves.

…

Knock-knock-knock!

Kyo waited impatiently in front of his new neighbor's door. He knocked it furiously again. Getting no reply, he kicked the door open, hitting the figure behind it. "Ack!"

"Whoa… I didn't see that coming… uh… you dead?" he asked the male figure who was obviously in pain. "Hey, if you're still alive, help me with something, there's a dying girl at my house…"

Loud footsteps could be heard, approaching the front door. Kyo waited impatiently for the person to make an appearance. A big man with an eye-patch came stomping, holding a bowl of what Kyo could define as 'uncooked-mashed-potatoes-with-some-unknown-black-goo-of-some-sorts'.

"Keikoku, are you oka- Kyo! Why are you here?" the man dropped the bowl on Keikoku's head and punched Kyo on the shoulder. "What's up, Mr-I-Wanna-Be-A-Researcher-Something-Guy! How are you? I mean, what's new with you?"

"Well, a girl is dying in my house if that's what you'd like to know… uh… Bon, right?" Kyo said in a monotone and tilted his head to the right.

"Ah? Then why are you here?" Bon questioned, not caring that he just stepped on Keikoku's right arm to look at Kyo.

"I need a little help, let's go before she dies…" Kyo dragged Bon to his house, not closing the front door and left Keikoku to wonder in Hell alone…

…

Kyo walked into the bathroom and felt an uneasy feeling. "Something's not right…" Kyo looked at the bathtub and saw three hooded figures, ganging up on Yuya's unconscious body. They were holding something that Kyo could see as a small scythe, a carver and a small jug.

"HEY! Get away from her!" Kyo shouted.

The figures turned their heads to look at him; one even turned his head 360 degrees just so that he could look at Kyo. At this sight, Kyo backed away, his back hitting Bon who looked like he wasn't affected by it at all.

The first hooded figure with sunglasses chuckled. _"Her blood is ours to take…"_ and it disappeared.

The second hooded figure just stared at Kyo blankly. _"Her blood will free us all…"_ and it disappeared too.

The 360-degrees-neck-twister-pro giggled evilly. _"Her blood is the best stuff to honor our gods… and you can never stop us… hehe!"_ and it disappeared, it's laugh still echoing the bathroom walls.

Kyo gasped for instant breath as he felt a weird tug in his chest. It felt as if something was trying to rip his heart off. He fell on his knees and cried in pain. "A-a-a…"

"Kyo! Kyo!" Bon's voice echoed in his eardrums but he couldn't say anything…

…It felt as if something was holding him back…

"_We will always be together, right Kyo? Together… forever…"_

-

A/N: Ah… I know it's short but… well, if I confused you, I am so sorry! R&R! and guess the hooded figures please!


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Hm, nothing much to say. This is a thanks for all you reviewers! Next in line for an update will be… What If and… it's a secret!

Disclaimer: I hate this but oh well… I am borrowing characters from Kamijyo-sensei whom I respect but the fact that he disappointed me… makes me wanna buy this from him.

-

Hour Eight – The Maiden of Tears

-

It was a few years ago… a beautiful girl was born. She had beautiful golden hair and eyes of sparkling jade. She was born to cleanse everyone off of their grief. She lived a life worshipped by everyone as the 'Maiden of Tears', a maiden who'll stop all the crying. Her only duty is to pray and hope that everyone will be happy. She was born to never be sad…

That was until she met a man of pure Mibu blood, Mibu Kyo.

At first, she detested his enjoyment of seeing people suffer. He showed nothing but his love of seeing blood and everything associated with grief. The maiden was worried that he'll stop her from making other people happy, seeing him as the Bringer of Grief, Death Messenger of The Mibu.

So one day, she approached him…

She was worried that he'll hurt her, so she brought along a friend with her, Sakuya who's also a seer and lover of Mibu Kyoshiro, Kyo's bestfriend.

"Um…excuse me…" she started when he saw Kyo getting off of his sitting place when he saw her approach. He was wearing a normal kimono and his long red hair was tied.

"What?" he asked, roughly.

The maiden backed away. Sakuya nudged her. "Oh yeah, um… I'm the Maiden of Tears… I just want to say… please stop bothering other people who are in… well, who is still recovering! I am responsible for them!"

He cocked an eyebrow. "So you're that crying maiden? Who takes in their grief? Isn't it easier to just kill them off? Like what I'm doing now?"

"W-what? But you bring sadness to them! Not cleanse them off it!" she shouted, Sakuya backed away.

"Who said I bring sadness? I kill them off so that they won't be in grief; while you cry your eyeballs out so that others will forget… it's the same."

She was stumped. "No… but the elders told me that… you killed off all my… all those who seek my… why did you exist? It is I who should help them!"

"Let me ask you this, what if… those who are in grief… don't want to forget? And they want to die, what about that? Can you kill them off? Can you, oh holy Maiden of Tears?" he asked, raising his brows, stroking his beautifully long blade which everyone fears, Tenro.

"I… my duty, why I was born… it is… it was… it's to…" she bit her lip, uncertain. Sakuya stepped up and held her back.

"Kyo-sama, please don't bombard her with such… she's a sheltered child, she's never been… she's always loved so… please, back down."

Kyo rolled his eyes. "Fine, I'll back down… _for today_. Let me just point it out, I am born because of my own duty, you are born because of your duty. Let's just say that our paths will always meet."

Kyo turned around to leave but the maiden stopped him. He turned around, annoyed. "What the hell do you want from me?"

"My name is Yuya. Don't you forget that…" she told him.

"I never did ask your name."

"My feelings tell me I should and I must always trust it."

Kyo shrugged. "Tsk…" and he turned to leave.

Yuya smiled. "I, as the Maiden of Tears, challenge you to prove me that… by killing, other people's grief will be cleansed," she took a deep breath. "If you fail to convince me… you have to stop killing."

Kyo stopped yet again and turned to face her. He took out his Tenro and unsheathed it. "This blade… by this blade, I place my oath, but in return, I wanna play my own game."

"State it."

"I bet, in three days, I can make you fall in love with me, and if I can, I can kill whenever I want and I won't have to convince you anymore, right?" Kyo wagered.

Yuya smiled. "Alright, and if you can't, please dispose of that weapon of yours."

"Alright. 'Til we meet again, then?" Kyo smirked and left her with Sakuya.

Sakuya sighed in relief. "I thought you were going to… give yourself to him…"

"Indirectly, I am, but I bet I can't fall in love with his arrogance… even though he is quite good looking… well, it's time for my prayers, let us return to the temple."

Sakuya nodded and Yuya took her hand and walked back home together…

…

"Hmph… you're telling me that… Sakuya has a cute friend? She's never told me about this maiden!" Kyoshiro sat impatiently on the tatami floor. Kyo took his sweet time to puff smoke donuts on the air…

"I never knew such a fragile girl ever existed, she's so… worshipped by the townspeople. I've never seen such innocent eyes…" Kyo mumbled.

"But she wants to be strong. I can see it in her eyes when she proposed that challenge. She didn't look like a… hmph, I don't want to talk about her."

"Kyo… do you think you'll be able to make her fall in love? With you?" Kyoshiro questioned, curiosity in his eyes.

Kyo rolled his eyes. "Of course I can… I'm…"

"You're the Bringer of Grief, remember that. You yourself have never been in love before…" Kyoshiro reminded. Kyo cursed.

"Can I ask you something?"

"What?"

"What is… love?"

…

On the next day, the Namida Temple was having a late prayer in the afternoon. Yuya was dressed in a white praying robe made from silk with tiny patterns of purple petals. Her obi ribbon stretched out, very long. Her hair was tied neatly into a ponytail, with small pins and one big cherry blossom pin. She was closing her eyes and praying silently, crying. Her tears all fell into a big porcelain basin.

"Please, protect those who need protection… please accept my offering of tears…" Yuya placed the basin of tears on the altar. Everyone who came to pray raised their hands as she did so.

Yuya turned around to smile at everyone. "Your prayers will not be in vain. One day, surely, all of you will be happy."

"Thank you!" "Oh, blessed maiden!" "Please always love us!" "Don't leave us!"

Mahiro, one of the priestess, sighed, raised her brow at Yuya and ushered her to leave the praying room. She closed the door behind her. "Yuya."

Yuya turned around, undoing the cherry blossom pin on her head. She smiled at her and giggled. "Was that too much?"

"Yes. How could you be so sure? You're not a goddess."

Yuya stopped giggling and her face turned serious. "Yes, I'm aware that I'm not."

"Don't give them too much hope. Please, this is for your own good," Mahiro undid the robe that was on Yuya. "Please, go and rest so that your spiritual power returns."

"No, I have to go somewhere…" Yuya stopped her actions and fastened it back. She bowed down and left the room.

…

Yuya waited at the same place where she met Kyo. She was hoping he'll go there, she needed to tell him something. No, ask him something.

"Please come…" she prayed quietly.

"What are you doing here? Are you here to kill me off?" a familiar voice asked.

She turned around to see Kyo, clad in one of his own black praying robes, his hair undone, swaying by the wind. Yuya gulped seeing him. She hid her blush before he came nearer.

"What makes you come here all alone?" Kyo questioned… eyes fixed on her.

Yuya looked up to see that he was just millimeters away from her face. She gasped and fell back but Kyo grabbed her hand just before she fell. She blinked at what just happened. Kyo pulled her back to her feet and glared at her.

"Be careful."

"Y-yes… thank you…" she straightened her robes and fixed her hair. One of her strands that were stuck on her mouth was cleared away by Kyo. "Why, thank you very much…"

Kyo shook his head. "It's nothing worth thanking."

"Well, to answer you. I am here to ask you something…" she took a deep breath. "Do you pray before you kill? And do those who died… were they smiling? Are your prayers returned?"

Kyo stopped her before asking more. "Yes. Yes. Yes."

Yuya grimaced hearing that. "So… the gods have allowed what you're doing…"

"I told you so."

"This is just wrong! If you're already here, why am I here too? This was supposed to have never happen! Not at the same time! If I was born first, _you_ shouldn't be here! And if you were born first, _I_ shouldn't be here! This is so twisted! If I was to give happiness to everyone so that they can live happily, why must you exist to give them happiness in the afterlife? WHY!" she shouted out of impatience. She landed on her knees and cried. Bawling like a child.

Kyo felt pity on her. Just a bit. He kneeled down and held her close, just enough to not actually making it as an embrace. "I see now… why you and I were born."

Yuya stopped her sobbing and looked up at him. She came face to face with him. "I am needed to stop your childish antics."

She blushed and pushed him away. "I am NOT childish! I am NOT!"

"Yes you are because you are denying it. You've been doing your duties since you were four and now, since your life have been sheltered… for years… you've never known about my existence until now. I've been living for 20 years… I was born four years before you were born. I've been doing my job for 17 years… I started earlier than you. I killed because you were born late. It is because of YOU I killed."

She was shocked, every vein in her body stopped transporting blood. She fainted, out of breath.

…

"She's been unconscious for a long time now…" Kyoshiro wiped her face with a wet towel.

Yuya's been unconscious for nearly two days. No one knew where she was except Kyo and Kyoshiro. A search party was made to find her but of course, they were unsuccessful. Kyo hid her in his secret house.

"Hm, should we just tell the townspeople that she's dead?" Kyoshiro suggested. "That way, the search will end and you can try and win your bet."

"My bet can start any time… plus, if she's dead, I will have more work."

"You got a point there… I still remember how you really wanted to stop killing… and where you wished for someone to replace you… but in the end, Tenro soaked too much blood that it used you as a catalyst and you were out of control."

"Hmph, catalyst or not, I still need to kill. It's been my job since I was small… and this girl, will one day die if I don't help with the cleansing… her spiritual powers are strong, but she's so fragile… she can break easily."

"So, you _do_ care. I know you've been watching her… you pretended you've never seen her before but the fact is… you did."

"Shut up."

…

_It's like a dream that never ends…_

_With you by my side,_

_All along, you were there with me… always,_

_But this dream will soon end,_

'_Cause, this dream is my reality._

_These long breaks… a long break indeed,_

_I want to get it out of my system,_

_I'm sterilizing my dreams,_

_That kept coming to haunt me,_

_If I were to write my story all over again,_

_I want it to end just as well,_

_Just before it starts._

_Just a last wish, from me, for you._

…

"How is it, Bon?" Akari lit the incense to purify the air filled with the smell of blood. She lit it and slowly, it began to emit a light that made her smile.

"I can't believe I have to baby-sit both Kyo and this random girl on the first day I met with him! And Keikoku there said he wants me to give him the girl's blood!" Bon impatiently wiped Kyo's face. He was doing it harshly too.

"I need to find the reason why these things are happening to them, do you think I should call for Akira?" Akari asked, taking out her cell phone.

"Sure, we need all the help we can get."

-

A/N: This will either help or confuse you all. I myself am confused. Well, don't worry, there's more to come. Lemme tell you this, this is a chapter I did in three days where the first day was just to update (a few lines only!). The second day was because I was pissed off waiting for the ending, and today, I found out some bad things about the ending and I was filled with inspiration for lyrics. That short lyric is actually a preview for the 'theme song' of this story, hm, very nice with acoustic guitar I think. Well, I was getting impatient with having all of you guys waiting so here it is! This will either make you love me or hate me! Thanks for all the wonderful reviews for all my stories! R&R people! Oh yeah, the next one will also be a long confusing flashback. Oh yeah, another vocabulary block!


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Here ya go! The ninth chapter of the long awaited update! It got complicated and I was nearly convinced to make this a short, SHORT one but then… I got into writing so I decided to add as much depth into the history as I could. This story, I noticed, is starting to deviate faraway from what I got in my head so I re-read the story to remember what I'm trying to write (although it's still straying)! Please oh please appreciate this chapter by reviewing because I cared enough to make this longer for you guys as thanks for support! (I revised it coz I saw some mistakes that people don't see! And I've made some changes on the divider so you guys can see the present and past!)

Disclaimer: SDK is not mine, bebeh! Nor are some of the things that belong to Tecmo's Fatal Frame!

-

Chapter Nine – The Red Dream

-

_Where am I? Why do I feel so warm? Yet… at the same time… I feel cold. Wet, really. Am I dead? But aren't the dead supposed to feel cold? Wait… no, the dead DON'T feel a thing after they die… am I nuts? Where am I?_

"Wake up… I know you're conscious." _That deep voice… I know that cold voice!_

My eyes snapped open, meeting red orbs that pierced into me, giving me a sudden headache. I tried to sit up but fell back to the comfy futon miserably. I looked at the man tending to me with a slight doubt. "Why are you here? Where am I?" I asked him.

He looked at me with a bored expression. "I'm here 'cause this place is not yours. You're in a house, duh'…"

"Don't talk to me like that!" I shouted at him. "You have no right!"

He glared at me. "No right, eh? We'll see…" he reached out to grab my wrist and yanked me close to him. "I have right on you while you're here…"

I blushed. "Let go of me…"

"You have a nice body… small, but nice…" he commented. _OKAY he's really embarrassing me!_

"GET OFF OF ME!" I pushed him away and fell back onto the futon. "Seriously… I wanna leave this place!"

"But you can't leave. Not until you've recovered. Kyoshiro said so. I'd let you go soon though, you're so loud…" Kyo rolled his eyes and smirked at her expression.

"Shut up… you're hell…" Yuya bit her lip. She was alone, with a man… no, scratch that. He was a _demon_! No man would treat like her this! She was special…

…but so was he.

He, The Bringer of Grief, Kyo… he was special. He was just like her, the reason of why he was born… he was born because… because…

…he has to kill people.

All because people are sad nowadays... deaths… EVERYWHERE. Nobody really knew why there were a lot of deaths. I didn't know either. I was born a lil' too late before a lot of these happened, same for Kyo it seems. Nobody really explained why there's death all over, everywhere you go there are people crying… corpses lying about. The stench was unbearable sometimes but I can't look bothered. It was offensive as a Maiden of Tears. You can't really show how you really are to normal people, people who seek your help every now and then. No. It was a sin to do so. Sometimes, I hate acting like I'm pure. I'm not, not really… I was just a normal lil' girl who came out of nowhere to help people without a price.

…It all happened when one day…

…

"Little girl? Are you alone?" the old woman asked the little blond girl. She was alone. All alone. Clothed in cheap threads, barefooted with messy golden hair… no one wanted her. She was a sore thumb to the eyes especially when everyone was busy tending to the dead. She looked so pure to their eyes, too bright to be surrounded by sad people.

"Little girl?"

The little girl looked up to the old woman with the scariest wrinkles ever. She was like a living dead! The blond tried not to run away. She was freaked out of course. "…yes?" she murmured softly.

The old woman laughed, baring her incomplete teeth. "You don't have anywhere to go, do you?" watching the little girl shook her head; she smiled and offered her hand. "Come with me then, you'll have something to do. A hollow life is one of the cruelest things you can get out of life itself."

The little girl just took it without even thinking. She was lonely and she sure has nothing better to do… she wanted a point in life and she's getting it now. She needed emotions too… she was sure; it was all locked up in her.

…

Yes, I wasn't _born_ as the Maiden of Tears. I was adopted and chosen to be one. I was loved _only_ after I became one. I was street trash. Yes, I was. I never knew who my parents were… nor do I know I have any relatives at all. Mother Shiryu treated me nicely, she gave me everything. She always tells me I'm 'special'.

"Yuya, you're special… you have a gift no one has. You can give people happiness just by crying… you can talk to the gods… you can pray and all of your prayers will be returned!" she told me when I was small. I believed her a lot. She saved my life.

That was why… I was sure… no matter what I do, I will be accepted.

No matter what I do… I will get what I deserve.

"No matter what I do…"

…

"I'll get what I deserve…" Kyo sighed at the basin of water he was holding. He looked at his reflection. "I look handsome…" he rolled his eyes and smirked.

"Kyoshiro's dumb disease's finally reached me…" Kyo shook his head in annoyance.

"WAAAHH!" a scream erupted.

"That girl!" Kyo threw the basin away and rushed to her room.

-

"They're not awake yet… it's weird. I've tried to place fish on Kyo's head so that he'll wake up… you know how he freaks out about fish, right?" Bon joked. Akari and Akira did not find the humor in his words. "What?" Bon raised his brow.

Akari sighed heavily. He turned to observe Kyo's immobile body. Yuya was on the next bed. He looked at them with heavy eyes. Akari wiped away some of the sweat coming from Kyo. "Kyo…"

"Well, at least this girl's wounds have stopped bleeding. That's good, right?" Akira assured. Bon and Akari nodded. "I wonder what dream they're having? Their faces are so troubled."

"I hope it's a dreamless sleep though…" Akari hoped. "Kyo's been having too much nightmares since Uraha-san's death…"

Keikoku, who was staring at the sky outside from the window, sighed heavily. "They're having dreams of the past…" he muttered.

"What?" All the other three blurted out. Keikoku turned around to look at them. His eyes bore nothing but emptiness.

"You all know what I mean."

-

Kyo rushed into her room only to be greeted with weak slender arms wrapping around his torso tightly. Kyo looked down to see bright blonde hair. "Woman?" he said quietly.

"I… I s-saw a r-rat… it was b-bi-big…" she made her hug tighter.

Kyo smirked, amused. "It was just a rat."

Yuya looked up to face Kyo teary-eyed. "Y-you sure it w-won't b-bite me?"

"Why would a rat want to bite an ugly girl like you?" Kyo mused, ticking her off.

"ARGH!" she pushed Kyo's body away from her. She paced the room worriedly. "I want to go home! Everybody's worried about me!"

"Oh, believe me, they will not be worried."

…

"Kyoshiro-sama, where is Yuya-san?" Sakuya questioned Kyoshiro as she prepared tea for him. "Kyoshiro?"

"Ah… she's fine, don't worry."

"Shiryu-sama won't like it if she neglects her duties…" Sakuya clarified. "Shiryu-sama will kill you if you dare do anything to impure her innocence. I hope Kyo-san doesn't do anything to steal her innocence…" she poured the steaming liquid to a cup and passed it to Kyoshiro who was sitting opposite of her. "Kyoshiro?"

Kyoshiro was sweating profusely. "C-cheers, Sakuya-san!"

…

Kyo pushed her to the nearest wall and trapped her in between his body and the stiff barrier. Her hands were bound tightly by his large ones and she looked at him in horror. "W-what are you doing?"

"Making you fall in love with me…" Kyo invaded her neck and started kissing her weak spots to melt her. Yuya winced at his invasion. His lips were so soft but demanding that it was too much for her. Kyo started biting her flesh, leaving marks that would last for a day or two. Bruising her flawless skin made Yuya into jelly.

"S-stop it, please!" she pleaded as Kyo's kisses trailed up to her ear. His breathing was heavy against her red ears and she was sure the air around her was getting too hot for her.

She melted against his invasion when Kyo bit her earlobe.

Yuya whispered with heavy breaths, very, VERY annoyed at what Kyo was doing to her. "Y-you… monster…"

"Ah? Not enjoying that?" he asked cockily.

"I'm not enjoying it even by one bit… you…" Yuya glared at him even though she was sure that her glare was not working as her eyelids began to cave, leaving her with her eyes closing slowly as if in trance.

"Ah? Your actions tell me otherwise, woman. I am sure I'm going to win this bet, you'll see."

…

"Hotaru has done his part for the ceremony, he will soon be sacrificed by Shinrei," A cloaked figure informed the Taishiro head, Fubuki. "Any last words before I go, my lord?" he asked.

Fubuki shook his head and smiled. "Remind Shinrei to not cry, sacrificing Hotaru is the best thing to do for his part. Should even one shed of tear fall, Hotaru will not rest in peace. I don't want to lose my student. Remind him well. Now, go."

"Yes!" and the cloaked man disappeared.

"Hishigi, I know you're here. Uncloak yourself from the darkness." Fubuki closed his eyes as he heard loud steps coming from his right.

"Ah… always aware, are you?" Hishigi stated the obvious.

"What is it that you want?" Fubuki asked lazily.

"Kyo is not in his headquarters, Kyoshiro too."

"Find him. He has lots to do."

"Yes."

…

"Yo, Hotaru…" Yuan greeted his sole student. Hotaru turned around to see his teacher. Hotaru was clad in white ceremonial attire, getting ready to be sacrificed.

He turned his attention to the birds he was feeding. "What?"

"I see you're all ready for the sacrifice… what are you doing here anyway?" Yuan squatted near Hotaru to see what his student was up to.

"I'm just feeding the birds…" Hotaru murmured in monotone. "No one's gonna feed them once I die."

"What about your spouse?" Yuan whistles playfully. "Three months pregnant with your child! Don't you know she's crying right now? Why don't you visit her for the last time?"

"It will make separation harder for her. I don't care though… I am just prompted to pass on my genes to a new generation for the coming ceremonies…" Hotaru stroked a bird nearest to his feet. "She'll understand sooner or later."

"Ah… the coldness…" Yuan took one bird and trapped in his hands. "I'm sure your descents will continue your dense behavior…"

"Yeah…" Hotaru stared at the birds with a faraway gaze. "I'm gonna miss them."

"Well, say your goodbyes now since the next ceremony's about to start…"

"Yeah…" he stared at the skies one last time before he turned to leave with his teacher.

-

Keikoku stared at the skies as Akari and Akira tried their best to concoct something up. Bon was dozing lazily, slapping Kyo's face with a wet towel. "Hey… guys… you think Kyo has Yukimura's residence number?"

Akari looked up from his notes. "Maybe… why?"

"Well, maybe he knows what's going on."

"Maybe, I'll go get his mobile phone." Akira volunteered and left the room to fetch Kyo's phone.

"I hope Yukimura does…" Akari said to himself before continuing to read.

"Hey… the skies are darkening."

-

A/N: THERE! You know…? I nearly decided to stop at where Hotaru said "You all know what I mean"! Imagine that! That's short right? So be thankful and review or I'll make the other one short that you guys will cry and beg for forgiveness!


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: GAH!!! I was totally scared when I wrote this! This one ended at nearly 30 minutes until midnight and I was alone… man, I'm still alone. I'm SO freaked out. I'm lazy to re-read this, I'm sorry. I wrote this because I was SO inspired because I finally went through some of the important things in this story. This ends the stream of flashbacks until next time. I hope no one will be confused after this! Enjoy! Read this at night, if you will. And I only used a day to finish this… well, without stopping, I mean.

Disclaimer: SDK is not mine, some are from Tecmo's ideas but mostly, it's MY story. That's important because I've kinda fucked off with my head thinking about an original story that no one can guess the next part. Did I do a good job?

-

Hour Ten – Sacrificing a Dream

-

"Hey! Why the face people? Yukimura's here!" Yukimura announced gleefully. Sasuke and Kyoshiro followed suit. Sasuke just shook his head.

Bon stared at him. "We told you on the phone."

"Oh yeah…"

Kyoshiro chuckled. "Well, how are they now? Are they awake by any chance?" he asked out of curiosity.

Akira answered with a 'no'. "They're still unconscious."

"Let me see them! Darlin' Yuki's gonna find out why those two are like this!" Yukimura said in a sing-song voice.

"Like you're a qualified doctor…"

…

Green eyes opened lazily as the weak sunlight penetrated through the curtains into the room. Everything was blurry to her sight. She sighed heavily before she sat up to scan her surroundings. She saw that her body was pale and darn it, she was still naked! To her right was the immobile body of Kyo who looked as if he was dead save for the heavy breathing and massive amount of sweat. Yuya covered her body with the separate blanket prepared for her. She observed the unconscious Kyo and smiled weakly. "You're okay…"

Loud voices were heard outside the room. The door opened and enter Yukimura and friends, chattering loudly, "…everyone knows Yukimura is the ma- Yuya!" Yukimura exclaimed. He hurried to her side and gave her a hug. "Yuya-san! Are you okay now?"

Yuya gave him a moan of pain. "Oops, sorry dear!"

Akari hurried to Yuya's side and then examined her pulses. He counted it for a minute and then sighed with relief. "You're fine now, although you'll need a LOT of iron tabbies!"

"Thank you."

Kyoshiro approached the relieved people and was relieved himself, seeing Yuya okay. "Yuya-san… it's not because of Kyo right?" he questioned, worried.

"No, it's not his fault, although I vaguely remember what happened…" Yuya trailed off. She tried to recall what happened before the blackout. All she could remember were a pair of sad jade eyes and if she wasn't mistaken, tears of blood fell like a waterfall from the eyes. She wasn't sure though but was worried. "Sad jade eyes, tears of blood."

"What?"

"Before I fainted, I remember seeing sad jade eyes in the mirror of Kyo's room. After that, I felt heavy, and it pained me to open my eyes… as if I was crying for years without stopping… my eyes hurt SO badly… as if something struck it with a sharp object…" Yuya told them. "And then… I felt like all of my blood came pouring out of my body… slowly extracted… my wrists felt like there's a hole in them…"

All the present party exchanged looks. "We didn't see no blood… that we know of… or holes… or cuts… on your body…" Bon told her.

She looked very confused. "Well, I _felt_ it."

"We should ask Kyo once he's awake."

-

"Why did you do it? WHY?" Kyo bellowed at the Elders. Kyoshiro struggled hard to keep Kyo at bay. "Let me go, Kyoshiro!" he demanded harshly.

Kyoshiro shook his head. "No! Kyo, no!"

"Kyoshiro!" Kyo ordered.

"It's our fault, Kyo! Understand-" Kyoshiro was cut off.

"Let him be, Kyoshiro. Kyo deserves to know…" the Master Elder ordered. Kyoshiro released Kyo and Kyo lunged at the Master Elder but was stopped by the other Elders. "Kyo, listen to us, open an ear to hear our reason. It might strike your senses."

Kyo stopped struggling and calmed down. "Talk!"

"…we were failed by all the ceremonies… _The Sea of Souls_ is not pleased. Not at all. A great deal of pain must be inflicted to complete the ceremonies, all were complete, _'The Ceremony of Birth'_ succeeded. Sadly, Shinrei regretted the killing of his brother, so he failed us, he had to be sacrificed… the third ceremony, which was supposed to be done by you… YOU who is the Bringer of Grief, the ONLY good thing that bitch of a mother of yours gave us, YOU failed us. _'The Ceremony of Blood'_, you failed to do that…" he said sternly. He coughed before continuing. "Your mother must be rotting in Hell by now…" he laughed cruelly.

"Don't talk about my mother like that!" Kyo warned him.

"You don't even know her…" one of the Elders mocked. Kyo glared at him. "Ah, that was the look she gave us when we took you away…"

"Kyo… your mother is not dead…" Kyoshiro whispered as he pulled Kyo to safety before he decapitated the Elder.

"SILENCE, KYOSHIRO!" a dagger was thrown at his right shoulder by an Elder. Kyoshiro fell on the tatami floor with a loud THUD!

"Kyoshiro!" Kyo kneeled near him and grabbed the dagger. "I'll pull this out."

"Don't."

Kyo turned to face the Taishirou leader, Fubuki who was accompanied by Hishigi and Yuan. "Where's Tokito?"

"She's asleep."

"On a meeting like this?" the Elder reasoned with a hint of mocking. Kyo knew something wasn't right with this.

"Where is she?" Kyo pushed further.

"She's _asleep_." Fubuki stated clearly. Yuan only looked at his feet and Hishigi closed his visible side of the face.

"How could you do that to your own flesh and blood?" Kyo shouted at him. Fubuki just stared at him. Kyo saw the emotional pain he's going through. "Fubuki…"

"Fubuki! Escort him outside; he needs to do his share of sacrifices for _The Sea of Souls_, since we've sacrificed one out of the five Shrine Maidens, the sea would be calm for a while."

"Yes, Master Elder."

…

"I can't believe they used the 'Five Shrine Maiden Ritual'… I feel sorry for them…" Kyoshiro murmured as Kyo bandaged his shoulder. "They're going to use Sakuya too…"

"If we could find some info on who to sacrifice… before they use Sakuya… she might be able to be saved," Kyo devised. "I feel very responsible for Tokito's death."

"Kyo, remember, no regrets. The Sea of Souls is already mad with us."

"Why were we born to this weird clan?" he continued.

Kyo shrugged. "Just our luck, I guess… and Kyoshiro…"

"Yes?"

"What do you mean about my mother not being dead?"

…

"Yuya… he didn't take your innocence, did he?" Sakuya asked her. Yuya answered her with a 'no'. "Did he kiss you?"

Yuya nodded. "You're lucky I managed to convince Kyoshiro to release you… he told me he found you half-naked under Kyo…" Sakuya murmured. Yuya began to cry. "Yuya… did he hurt you?"

"No… it's just that… I feel that he won the bet. In just a day…" Yuya told her, wiping her tears. "What he did… what he whispered to me… he was full of sadness… just like me."

"We were incomplete before we met each other… that's what he told me." Yuya frowned. "He cried just a droplet of tear… he told me his mother was taken away, no, he was taken away from his mother when he was still a day old."

Sakuya closed her eyes sadly. "I know that."

"He never cried, that's what he was told."

"Yes…"

"I feel sorry for him. We both know the pain of Emptiness. That is why we were made into what we are now," Yuya stopped and cried more. "I am blessed with tears and he was blessed with blood on his path… we are just dolls."

Sakuya laid a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder. "Yuya… I just received a letter from the Mibu to report myself at the clan. I have to leave in a couple of days."

"Oh, but why? I thought you're already able to leave…" Yuya said in a sulked tone.

"…I got some unfinished business."

"Okay."

…

"Fubuki…"

Fubuki looked up from his book. "Yes, Hishigi?"

"I'm sorry for Tokito."

Fubuki looked back at the book. "It's fine. She did what she had to do."

"She never consented…" Hishigi said quietly.

"Neither did you…" Yuan laughed out. "Where's the regret, Fubuki?"

"I don't need your words, Yuan."

"Chill… well; we have to do more sacrifices before that freakin' sea will be calm. What are you doing?" Yuan inquired when he saw Fubuki with a hell lot of tomes.

"I'm researching for another way to end all of this without sacrificing too much… as a precaution for the next to come…" Fubuki explained as he continued to read.

"Found anything?"

"Not yet."

-

"It's weird… I was sure I was bleeding all over…" Yuya told herself as she busied herself to apply make-up to cover the paleness in her room.

"Dear, let it be… do you WANT to be bleeding all over?" Akari reminded her.

Yuya laughed. "No…"

"Well, seems that Kyo'll wake up in a while. Keikoku told me although I doubt his words…" Akari folded the cloth he was holding. "I can't believe Kyo forgot about Keikoku… he was his childhood friend, along with me and the others…"

"It must've been because of his arrogant-ness…" Yuya decided. "His big brain sure forgets a lot of inconvenient things it seems."

"He sure looks successful as a researcher on folklore… I'm still sorry that Nozomu is dead while they're still in the middle of researching this house… you know about it?" Akari asked Yuya who was busy combing her hair.

"Yeah… I kinda know a bit."

"Well, Akira told me Kyo promised to meet him at his antique shop but didn't show up… he said Kyo asked him to find out more about the Camera Obese…"

"Obscura."

"What?"

"It's called Camera Obscura…" Yuya corrected.

"O-kay! Whatever!"

Yuya thought for a while before she decided to ask for the research notes that Akira might have. Akari shrugged but he left to ask it from Akira. Yuya was left alone in her room. She looked around for the box Nozomu gave her. It was on the end table, closed tightly. Yuya walked to it and lifted it up and examined the box carefully. No one tempered with it. "Thank goodness!"

She sat on her bed and placed the box on her lap. She unlatched the lock and stared at the insides. She took out the camera and checked it out. It was really an antique… Yuya was sure it was out of film until it automatically snapped a picture at a corner of her room. A Polaroid came out of it but it was still blurry. Yuya waved it around to dry and was surprised at what she saw in the picture.

…It was Nozomu!

Yuya's eyes widened in shock as she brought the camera to the picture to look if there was any zooming in. Nothing changed. It was just a picture of Nozomu pointing to the sliding closet at the corner. Yuya shivered, scared a hell lot. 'Not now… Nii-sama…' she thought.

The camera snapped again continuously until there were five Polaroid pictures on the bed, each atop of each other. Yuya just stared at them and decided to leave it alone to dry.

She was freaked out. Seriously.

"Why are you showing me this?" she asked the invisible Nozomu. "Nii-sama…"

"Yuya?"

Yuya looked up from the pictures to stare at a Kyo clothed in a bloody kimono. "Kyo?" she said disbelieving.

Kyo approached her slowly, reaching out a bloody hand. "Yuya…"

Yuya just sat still on the bed, still in shock. "Kyo, you should be resting… I'll call for-" before she could finish her sentence, Kyo embraced her tightly. Yuya's eyes widened as Kyo held her tight. "Kyo…"

"Yuya…" Kyo whispered to her ear.

"Kyo… get off of me! What if someone sees us?" She reasoned, trying to push him away.

"Let them be… I don't care about kissing you in front of Shrine Maidens… I don't care… We're complete like this…" he said slowly. "Completion… is what we long for in life…"

"What?" Yuya murmured confused.

"I love you…"

"What?" she asked again.

"Do you love me?"

"I… Kyo… no… I…" she was out of words. 'Declaration of love after a short coma? Is he insane?' Yuya's mind screamed.

"I do…" Yuya's lips moved by itself and it left a Yuya full with questions hanging around. "I do… my Kyo… I'm sure they'll let me go… I won't live forever… right?" Yuya couldn't stop her lips from shaping those foreign words.

"…yes, I'm sure…" and Kyo disappeared, leaving a too shocked Yuya on the bed with her mouth gaping open.

"…Kyo?"

"YUYA! Kyo's awake!" a voice called out from outside her room.

Yuya stared at the Polaroid pictures on the bed and spread them out according to its timeline. She was shaken even more when she observed them. All the pictures slowly moved to a Nozomu opening the closet to reveal the jade-eyed woman staring at her.

"_Found you…"_

-

A/N: the story towards the end seriously scared me. I hope all of you are scared too. That's the purpose of this story anyway… since I think this gives a better depth to the story, I HOPE, no I really, REALLY hope those who read will review. Pity me, a 15 year old who will have an exam soon, in less than three days, who have not read ANYTHING that suffices just to update. I'm gonna use Zachura's way of 'begging' (sorry Zachura!) by clarifying that only a few out of a few review. It hurts, you know? I used to do it before joining but it wasn't because I was lazy, it was because of I don't have time reading and reviewing. I was supposed to put this story on HOLD or just end it straightaway but didn't because I know… well, sorry about that. Please, please, just give me at least a word like 'update' on the review. It'll mean a lot to me.


	11. Important Notes

A/N: A VERY LONG ONE. Please read if you care and don't worry, it didn't involve deaths.

Hey, sorry this is not the chapter. I've just been through a LOT just in a day, and it did not involve death… or anything. It involved the word, TRUST. It happened the next day, after I updated this story, so it meant something. For Curse, it involved deep feelings of trust and all. Searching for the thing that will complete us. I don't know if any of you understand what I am trying to convey in my stories… maybe most of you think it's just for fun, just for the pleasure of reading… no, writing means a lot to me because I don't keep a diary. I don't trust diaries. Someone could read what you poured out, secrets. To me, but to me, writing your stories, updating your stories, not because of a must, not because of reviews… writing because YOU wanted to, because YOU want to share, that's the thing. I tried a lot of times to write a story that would be able to reflect ME but failed halfway. I think, only Curse reflects every emotion that ever existed in us. I am not so hot with my English; I don't even speak it as my language so I don't know how to express it. Simply, I always threaten you people to review just so that I would "update" or "continue" but no, to me, it's not THAT important. I still update even though the reviews are still not enough because I care, I try very hard so that people will keep reading. To me, reviews are just a sign of "thanks for updating, I appreciate it" and it means you care for what I write, which I know is not the best because of my limited vocabulary and also the fact that I like things simple and clean, as long as people understand.

Here's my advice on what I experienced these 15 years of living in this world. IF any of you people are liars, lie to only ONE person, never lie to someone and then it affects a whole party. NEVER destroy a family; NEVER even think to destroy someone's life. NEVER hurt anyone's feelings, NEVER. NEVER make someone, a family cry their heart out when there are no deaths. Whatever it is, be rational, just NEVER ever do anything that would make someone suffer. My belief towards life is: we're living a play directed by us with approval from God. Nothing is everlasting in this world except God. I'm not trying to be religious or anything but, whatever your problems are, whatever your beliefs are, whatever it is, there is always ONE who listens to you even though the action is not as soon as you hoped it would be. I've been living a lie all my life but I don't care because we're actors of our own play. We lead it ourselves and if we fall, it's our own fault, it's never anyone's fault. Never blame others for your own actions.

I got to say this: I just realized I'm a very, VERY selfish person. I even tried to overdose myself because of my selfishness so that it would solve a problem that wasn't even mine at the first place… I hate sharing too. Sharing my family, my friends, my things… I'm sure though, the only thing I share is my STORY because I want people to learn before they do the same thing. I thought to myself today that… is there something in this world that only belongs to ME? I know my family is not mine alone, nor my friends, nor my husband (if I get married though) nor my children. One of a kind things can also be duplicated. What is a thing that only I can possess? Nothing. NOTHING. Remember that, because the only sole thing that exists alone is God.

I hope you people will take this as a positive thing coming from a little girl that's been through a lot. However, don't jump to conclusions that I am the one who went through this soap opera thingy. I experience it too but today, I am a spectator that really, really used the freedom of expression to express my concerns and logic although I'm pretty sure, I am sinned today…(;3;)

Have a nice day and do continue to read my stories as it means a lot to me. I hope everyone will take this positively and not because of preaching or something. I don't have the right and I have to say… I am sure, nothing good is coming to me this year, this year 2006 sucks the most ever!


	12. Chapter 11

A/N: I update quite fast than I normally do for this fic… it's coz I'm focusing more on it as it caught to my attention at how I'm so into this darkish feel of torture on others… yeah right… my lil' sis will laugh if she knew I said that… I do have a dark feel in me and I can't deny that I like dark songs and lyrics… although not screaming their hearts out while singing… pheh… since I got sick for five to sick days after my last note… I got to thinking. I've only played the Fatal Frame demo and the third installment in the game… so I have to do my thorough research on it first to get a feel. This story, although won't relate much, I have to say it happened around the 80's… or something… but I know now, I've decided, that the seemingly past-lives of our actors… are of twenty something years apart. You'll be surprised at where I'll take you… muhahahah… twists there… twists here… you'll end up confused, I'm sure. I've decided most of the story during my sickly time, constantly referring to the original game idea and how to relate the use of the camera even more… the only thing I haven't fully decided is the end which will come only maybe next year… depends on the rate of my update. Ah, sorry for that long thing… do enjoy and understand the story more.

A whole-hearted thanks for all of those kind reviewers who even reviewed my long note… always know that you people have a special place in my heart and I'll repay you people (anonymous included, if given their e-mail) with a special secret chapter sometime later… muhahaha. I'll try to fight my kind conscience to put it here as a chapter… I'm cruel, ne? Even if I do, I'll leave out a LOT of things for you non-reviewers to read, hah! And I also believe I'll put a separate prelude for this story after it ends, hopefully it'll get your attention. I'll up the rating once I get a bit…bloodier and… ugh… put in a bit of disturbing contact… take note of that so you won't be lost when it's no longer rated 'T'.

Also one thing… I'll put a sketch for all the characters including the ghosts sometime later when I have time at my DA. I even designed my own version of Camera Obscura! I still haven't drawn most of the other characters though, including modern Kyo. I've practiced with Yuya a lot and Kyo's mother… who I believe is beautifully drawn as a ghost… imagine all those Japanese ghosts with long hair… okay?

Disclaimer: No, none belongs to me except the idea, which I worked very hard to pull together. I will also be owning a few characters though in this story… especially Kyo's mom (hint that it's not any girl from the series, remember that!)

-

Hour Eleven - The Jade Eyes

-

"_Found you…"_ a hand sneaked up from behind Yuya to grab her neck. Yuya was too shocked to even move as the hand snaked around her neck to firmly set there to choke her. Yuya tried to add pressure to the hand but just as she was trying to do so, she noticed blood. Blood. Blood coming from the hand, which is not an arm as it was just a bloody hand, gripping her neck as tightly as a rope could. Yuya closed her eyes in fear but took a peek a little, hoping the hand would disappear but then, it became a real rope, which pulled her neck back along with her head. Forced, her body lay on her bed and she couldn't move. Her wrists and ankles were now bound with bloody ropes and she saw that she was surrounded by cloaked figures. She just stared in horror as one of the cloaked figures took out a carver and began to cut small shallow wounds on her legs and it hurt like several hundreds of paper cuts inflicted at the same time. Tears welled up in her eyes and the tears itself were scared to come out. The other cloaked figures took out their own set of items, a scythe and a jug. Bending down, the jug holder collected the small amount of blood dripping from the cuts. The one with the scythe just watched it being done, stroking the scythe's sharp blade, patiently waiting for enough blood to be collected before proceeding to do his own task. Yuya's tears finally succumbed to fall from her stinging eyes.

She closed her eyes shut, praying that this was all just a dream. 'But I feel the pain… I feel it! I'm losing my consciousness… please… anyone… help me!' she prayed hard but she still couldn't throw away the fact that she is bleeding to death now and everyone was busy with Kyo. "H-help me… please… have mercy…" she pleaded the hooded figures.

One of them, the carver looked at her, her eyes shadowed under the hood. Yuya felt the carver's eyes burn into hers before she looked away. The carver touched her calf and pinched one of her wounds and Yuya cried out in pain. The carver smiled and finally said, "_This is not a dream…_"

Yuya fought back by trashing around. "Who said it is?! Leave me alone! What have I done? WHAT?!" she screamed and noticed that not any one of her friends noticed this happening at the next room.

The one who held the scythe instantly placed the blade at her neck, readying to kill her at any time if she should move from her position. Any inch would've severed her. Gulping would end up with death too. "_Shush… little girl… the maiden took her fate as it is… and you should too._"

Yuya stared at the shadowy face of her offender. 'Where have I heard…? I… I was a maiden in that dream… a maiden of something…' Yuya closed her eyes, thinking hard of what her dream was. 'Who was I…? And why did a lot of people who I know and don't know appear in my dream? Tears…' "Kyo…" she whispered to herself.

"_What?_" the one with the jug murmured.

Yuya remembered about her nii-sama's pictures. "Nii-sama!" she screamed, piercing her neck with the point of the scythe. It seems to her that it caught her pressure point as her eyes slowly closed, failing her as she collapsed, lifeless.

"_We should leave…we have enough blood for now… the Hell Gate will be calmed for a while with her blood. We should let her remember who she was…_" the carver suggested as the other two nodded. A clapping sound was heard and all the restraints that were on Yuya disappeared, including her wounds… but her paleness from the loss of blood was clear. She looked like she was now a corpse waiting to be buried. "_If we miss the full moon, we might as well die._"

"_I agree… let's go. I feel _her_ presence_."

The silhouettes disappeared as Yuya's closet door slid open and came out crawling out from it was the jade-eyed woman with long flowing brown hair following her form. Leaving blood marks from where she crawled, the woman reached out her thin pale bluish arm to grab Yuya's leg. Suddenly being able to stand straight, she stared at Yuya's lifeless body; her bloody face reflected those of horror movie ghosts. She grabbed Yuya's wrist and pulled her body towards hers in an awkward embrace. She stroked Yuya's blond hair and cried tears of blood. "_Help me…_" her muffled words came out. "_Help me… release me of my pain… of this curse…_"

Hearing a party of footsteps approaching Yuya's room, the figure dissipated into a pool of blood, seeping through the floor and gradually disappeared, leaving her bloody kimono on Yuya as Yuya fell on the floor with a loud THUD.

The door opened and shouts were heard when they saw Yuya's body lying on the floor, the kimono on her slowly turning into dust and as it did so, Yuya's body regained its color.

…

"…what the hell is happening around here? She was okay when I left her!" Akari muttered, miserable. "Something is definitely wrong, I'm sure!"

"What? Being someone like _you_, you have that sort of power?" Akira mocked. Akari shot him a deadly glare. "Alright… alright…" Akira motioned to his left and felt something that he was sure he felt before… "Is that your rough hand, Bon?"

"No… you're holding a camera… man, seriously, Akira… get an eyeglass or spectacles or be blind!" Bon shoved the said thing Akira was holding at him. "Here!"

Akira scanned the camera, felt every curve, every edge and then gasped in shock. "This is the Camera Obscura… although a bit different… it feels the same!" Akira gasped breathlessly. "It feels nearly the same as the one I have in the antique shop!" he turned to Akari, "So that's why you wanted to borrow my notes!"

"I told you… you don't listen, do you?" Akari narrowed his eyes but Akira quickly turned away, admiring the camera.

"Are you already blind? Aki-kun?" Kyoshiro babbled about. Everyone shot him a look. "Okay… I'm sorry… sorry!"

"Why don't you go look after Kyo? It's no good that we left him alone you know… especially in this house…" Yukimura suggested. "Even if Keikoku's with him…"

"Whaddya mean about 'especially this house'?" Bon questioned, very, very suspicious. "What do you know that we don't, Sanada?"

Yukimura just stole a glance at Sasuke. "Let him explain…"

Sasuke stepped up from the shadows in which he was playing quietly with his kendama stick. "Well… as far as I know… this house is just plain weird… that's all I know…"

The others annoyingly turned to Yukimura who was whistling happily. "Hey… as long as I'm not gay…"

"What the fuck?" Bon blurted.

"Hey…" a gloomy voice resounded. Everyone turned to look at Keikoku who was seriously bored from waiting alone in Kyo's room. He stared at Yuya's lifeless body. "She's not dead, is she?" getting a 'no-no' from his companions, he continued. "Kyo kept murmuring her name after he collapsed again."

"You mean… after forcing us to come to Yuya's room? After he said she's in danger? Hmph… I wonder how he knew…" Kyoshiro chuckled lightly. "I feel a vibe…"

"Not a lust vibe, is it?"

"Nope… more than like… but not yet love…" Yuki made clear. "It's not clear on how they got to like… they had just met, I mean."

"…Kyo's not the type to like someone so easily… might be in the past life?" Akari playfully said. Akira narrowed his eyes at him. "Hey! Transvestites CAN be psychic!" Akari embraced his body. "These boobs are real!"

"No one said they weren't…" Sasuke butted.

"That's proof I'm psychic!" Akari laughed out loud. He glared at everyone. "You know… Yuya's in quite a deep slumber… I'm actually worried!" Akari huffed.

…

Yuya's chest heaved slowly, a sign she's still alive. She was hoping she can't open her eyes anymore. She was frightened inside and out. She nearly bled to death… having weird dreams… of someone who looked like her! And of Kyo too! Well, someone who looked like Kyo… and of her brother… and of that jade eyed woman with the most depressing gaze she's ever seen. It was as if… she was trying to merge with her, make her feel the pain and sadness she's feeling, keeping in her heart… trying to save herself from destroying her soul… Yuya's eyes opened, sadness and confusion evident in them.

She saw a brown haired woman in the middle of a garden, whose hair was tied back with a ribbon, with remnants of her hair hanging down her shoulders. Wearing a white kimono, with the black obi ribbon tied with the butterfly style. Turning around, the woman revealed startling jade eyes, hint of sadness clear. She approached Yuya's immobile body, reaching out her hand and stopped, smiling. "Yuya…" she took another step towards Yuya.

Yuya stepped away. "…who the hell are you?"

The woman hid her eyes behind her hair. "…Me? I'm called Yuya."

Yuya's eyes widened as the surrounding around her became distorted. Feeling as if her surrounding was ripped away harshly by thousands of hands. It felt like she was in a reel of film, the film being cut bit by bit… her garden view suddenly changed into a grey room, blood all over. "What the hell…?" her voice came out groggy. Her throat tightened and she gasped for breath. From out of nowhere, the woman appeared at the centre of the room, her hands all bloody.

"_I hate you… I hate everyone for doing this to me… I hate you Kyo…I hate you…_" she muttered, her voice cracking with every word uttered. The woman who called herself 'Yuya' turned to stare at Yuya. "_Disappear._"

Without warning, Yuya was trapped in a whirlpool of monochrome memories. Screaming can be heard, pulsing through her ears, nearly destroying her eardrums. Laughter filled her ears now, crying… harsh talking… moaning… Yuya was scared, so scared she hoped she wakes up from this terrible dream or something as quickly as she can. Pooling in her chest were the heaviest feeling of regret and hatred towards someone she doesn't even know… she clutched her top tightly, nearly ripping it off.

"Please… let me be…" she pleaded quietly before everything blacked out.

…

"Kyo! Kyo, please just rest!" a voice shouted, pleading the said name to stop forcing his weak body to walk. "Kyo… Yuya's fine!"

"Not from where I saw her!" he retaliated.

Yuya's eyes fluttered open and she was surprised to see the jade eyed woman on top of her, eyes staring at eyes. She quickly closed her eyes, muttering prayers. Her door was opened forcefully and she quickly opened her eyes to see Kyo, looking as sexy as ever… minus his not so clean cut at his chin, although… it did add character…

Yuya turned her eyes to check if the jade eyes were still staring at her. She was gone. Yuya slowly forced herself to sit up as Kyo paced towards her. Settling his bodyweight on his ass, he sat on her bed, yanking her wrist and pulling her to him as he knocked their heads together.

"OW!" Yuya cried in pain. Kyo kept silent.

"You don't have a fever…" Kyo said, relief _nearly_ evident in his tone. Yuya pulled back, massaging her temple. "Did that hurt?"

"If it didn't, I wouldn't say 'OW!'! And I never said I have a fever…" she glared at him, quite relieved that he was okay, with his arrogant-ness intact. She allowed herself the luxury to smile a bit as Kyo smirked at her. Her cheekbones hurt and hell, she doesn't know why it's so! "Are you okay, Kyo?"

Kyo was surprised at her question but answered it simply with a 'yeah'. Yuya nodded and noticed that her brother's camera disappeared. She frantically searched for it but it wasn't on the bed.

"What are you doing?"

She whispered to him, as Akari was present, looking quite worried about Kyo. She didn't want him to worry about her too much. "The camera is gone…"

"The camera?"

"Camera Obscura…" she increased her voice by a bit and it caught Akari's attention.

"Yuya-hon, I know about it, it's with Akira… he's observing it…" Akari informed. Yuya looked at her, shocked.

"Oh…" Yuya smiled. "It's kind of busted…"

"Did you bust it?" Kyo raised an eyebrow.

"NO!"

"Fine…"

She remembered about the photos. She motioned for Akari to leave the room so that she and Kyo could talk in private. Akari just had to obey since Kyo shot him a glare when he refused. Yuya searched for the photos taken not so long before and once she found them, she shoved it to Kyo. "It freaked me out…" she honestly said.

Kyo took it and raised his brows. "Funny… you took them?"

"No… it automatically took them by itself…" she explained what happened before she was tortured. She explained everything before the torture, minus her dreams of being a maiden that wasn't supposed to be her, and the presence of him, yearning for her in the dream. The dream involved huge amounts of pain and emotions Yuya herself was sure, she will never feel if she stayed at where she grew up and never have left for Japan. She was doing fine, really, she even dyed her hair so she was like almost all the other girls… she had a sense of insecurity though, because she was sure that she wasn't what she's playing herself to be. Her hatred towards her brother turned to regret when she heard of his death. Now, the only thing that was left of him on her is the camera and also one item she hadn't bothered wearing for a while, the only gift he gave her, on her twelfth birthday, a pinwheel shaped necklace that she stashed in her jewelry box sometime after he left her for work. Oh, how Yuya wished she could still hug her brother and say she's sorry… but it was too late. The only thing that she has now in her possession were the photos of him and a certain disturbing jade eyed woman… who just nearly looked like her. That disturbed her the most plus their names were the same… although it might not be her real name… her thoughts were disturbed by Kyo's words.

"Those three were back to get you?" he asked her, nodding, remembering his encounter with them before he fainted.

"You saw them before?" Yuya worriedly questioned.

"…you're okay now, right?" he asked as he scanned her body for any signs of cuts. She was clean. He massaged her right shoulder as if to soothe her nerves. Yuya just stared at him as he did so.

"Do you think we've got ourselves involved with… something we shouldn't have? A lot of things happened… after we visited that house… after I got the camera… after I took the picture of Hotaru!" Yuya broke down crying. "I can't take this! I want my questions answered!"

Kyo just watched her cry. He gripped her shoulder tightly before soothing her with his words filled with assurance. "We'll get through this… I'm Kyo, remember? I always get through things… with my own way…"

Yuya punched his shoulder, smiling. "Stop being so full of yourself, you ass!"

"We'll get by, I'm sure."

-

A/N: I'm sure you liked this… it's not as scary as before… since I finished writing this at nearly eleven in the night… I wanted to update it to ff. net soon, but I edited more, just to make it more interesting and long, I bet this is the longest for this story I've ever done, minus my rambling… muhahah… please R&R coz it shows you care… and I wrote this even though I know I won't stand a chance against exams… I have to work really hard, really… but I just want to end my school life and work… blah! PLEASE SEND ME TO JAPAN NOW!!! And also one thing, dears… the next update would be of the characters but hopefully, I'd stall it until the end, coz it'll spoil some info… as to how some ghosts died.


	13. Chapter 12

A/N: Here's the short chapter for this story… it's just a filler, I think. It has something to do with my short Curse Prelude comic called Blood Tears which I haven't been really able to finish. I'm quite disappointed with my readers. Is reviewing such a hard thing to do? Would your life be cut short if you were to just click on that small review button? I review people's stuff and I'm still alive… no? Think about it dear readers… would it be worth it if the author would stop writing the story halfway? The author doesn't get paid and still, they write. Is it SO hard to just say 'hey, thanks. Update soon'? The way for you readers to 'pay' the authors for their hard work is by reviewing. Is that so much to ask? On behalf of the authors on this site, I urge you no-review readers to review.

Disclaimer: SDK is not mine. Some ideas of Tecmo's not mine and the whole plot is mine alone. If any of you readers discover ANY of my stories being stolen and are claimed as theirs, do tell me and do me a favor by flaming them. Please and thank you!

To my reviewers: Thanks SO much, your kind words and encouragement and praises (hm?) helped me a LOT. I can't really list my reviewers here but you know who you guys are (nudge2) well, don't forget to review! Your bonus chapter will come about sometime later once I have time to compile all your e-mails!

-

Hour Twelve – The Sacred Life

-

_23.11.XX_

_It's been three days since that incident… We've been working hard these past few days, trying to get into this problem further. We researched local folklores, we went through every bookstore that stores old books, the local library and found nothing. Kyo is getting frustrated. I can't even sleep a wink. I worry very much about our lives. We **meddled**. We meddled into something that should never be meddled around with. _

_Kyo told me something about that mansion while we were out at dinner (Kyo was too lazy to cook). He told me that that place had been a favorite hangout place for students before my brother and Kyo himself restricted it to themselves. He told me that two high-school students died there, one decapitated and one… her eyes were gouged out. One student survived whatever killed the other two because on that day, nii-sama and Kyo were checking the mansion out. The student, however, became insane and couldn't stop crying. We were thinking of visiting her today._

_Hopefully… we'll get useful information from her._

…

Kyo and Yuya arrived outside a plain two-story house, the walls painted white and the roof colored maroon. There was nothing wrong with the house until a scream erupted from inside the house. A piercing, almost deadly scream. Yuya frowned immediately and turned to look at Kyo. Kyo just shrugged and still urged on to go into the house. Yuya just followed quietly. The plaque outside the house on the barrier marked the name _'Inoue'_. Kyo rang the doorbell and Yuya could see the uneasiness and the fidgetiness Kyo is feeling. Could Kyo be scared? It couldn't be… _could_ it?

The door opened to reveal a middle-aged woman, wearing a white sweater and a baggy black skirt. She looked very tired for her age; her eyes were very dark and baggy too, as if she never slept. Her hair was a mess! Stray strands everywhere! It made Yuya want to do a makeover on her so that she wouldn't make others depressed by looking at her!

Her voice cracked when she said, "How may I help you?" it was so depressing that Yuya wanted to slap the woman senseless!

Kyo gave her a barely-made-it smile and bowed lightly. He introduced himself before turning to Yuya, glaring at her so she would introduce herself. Yuya smiled meekly and gave a nervous laugh, "M-my name is Shiina Yuya."

The woman just nodded at both of them. She stepped out of the doorway and invited them in, closing the door slowly as they went inside. The screaming started again.

The woman winced and muttered curses quietly under her breath. Yuya saw this and was surprised; she gave a pleading glance at Kyo. Kyo just gave her a nod. The woman then questioned them, "Why are you two here? We don't usually have guests nowadays… people have been avoiding our house…" she trailed on saying that the _devil_ has put a curse on them. Kyo gave a chuckle. "What's so funny?" she asked irritated.

Kyo stopped midway and turned to the woman. "Mrs Inoue, we're here for your daughter, Mariya Inoue."

Mrs Inoue was quite surprised and looked away. "Why… Mariya is not of a condition where she can think and act properly. I'm sorry; talking to her won't do any good too."

"That's okay; we just want to see her."

"No matter how insane she's turned to be, she's still my daughter and if you think I'd sell her off to publicity, you're wr-" and she was cut off by a harsh reply from Kyo.

"We would care less about her; we just want to question her about certain things, Mrs Inoue… I mean, who would want to question an insane person and put her to public view? I know people like crazy and weird things but…" Kyo stopped when Yuya elbowed his ribs. "I'm sorry; we have to talk to Mariya-san."

Mrs Inoue sighed heavily and nodded in defeat. She led them upstairs where the screaming became clearer and deadly. Yuya had to cover her ears to avoid her eardrums from getting damaged. Mrs Inoue stopped in front of a room just at the end of the corridor and knocked on the door.

"Mariya-chan… mother's coming in. You have guests…" she quietly said and she kept on knocking softly. She was answered with something thrown on the other side of the door and banged hard that all three had to back away. She sighed heavily before turning to the two. "I'm sorry; she's not in the mood for guests. Why don't we go down and have a cup of tea before you leave?" she suggested.

…

The three of them settled comfortably in the living room, sitting on comfortable sofas, drinking green tea and having finger biscuits. They drank the tea quietly until Kyo raised a question that made Mrs Inoue wince greatly: "Is she still crying?"

Mrs Inoue stayed quiet for a few minutes before nodding her head sadly. "She's been like that… without stopping. She even cried tears of blood due to the fact that she refused to drink water for a month."

She raised her gaze at Kyo. "How did you know about my Mariya?"

"It's been a while since I've last seen her. Since Nozomu died, I even forgot how long she's been in that condition…" Kyo took a sip at his tea and placed the glass on the table in the centre.

Mrs Inoue closed her eyes. "So… you're one of the two men who saved my daughter?" she concluded. Kyo said 'yes'. "I see…"

"How long has it been?"

"…five… maybe six months… I don't remember. I've been too busy taking care of her while my husband works… he rarely comes home with the reason that he can't work with all the screaming…" she laughed lightly before continuing, "I have to agree with that…"

Yuya finally spoke after being quiet for a long time, "Did you not try to stop her crying?" she asked.

Mrs Inoue looked at her with confused eyes and shook her head. "No… I tried, we tried… but Mariya refuses to leave her room. We brought a doctor to check up on her and he only said that she's just crazy. He also said that once her tears are dried up, she'll stop crying… quite a liar that doctor is…"

"We brought in a psychiatrist a few days later… she said that Mariya's mentality's been messed around by something and we couldn't do anything about it other than praying…" Mrs Inoue's eyes welled up. She choked before continuing, "Mariya's going to… g-going to… be like this…"

"…forever…"

…

"Are you sure it's okay to leave just like that, Kyo?" Yuya questioned him as they drove pass the highway. Kyo just ignored her, paying attention to the road. "I mean… she was crying and in need have comfort!" she complained.

"Well, would you be able to understand the pain of being a mother with an insane daughter?" Kyo pointed out harshly. Yuya blushed immediately after his statement. "See? It's better to leave her crying alone. Her tears will dry up eventually."

Yuya sighed. Her eyes drifted to gaze the view outside the window. It was a quiet road and everything's dark even though it's still broad daylight. Yuya recalled her past memories and everything centered about the crying jade-eyed woman. _She was crying tears of blood_… her eyes gave out a faraway look and she thought about the woman deeply. Who was she? Why is her name like hers? Why is she crying? What made her cry? Why are her eyes so sad and holds pain in them? Why? Why? Why? WHY?

A thousand questions drifted in her mind, confusing her heavily. She couldn't think of anything other than the past happenings with the jade-eyed woman and her weak frail body that was due to blood loss. She needed more iron tablets from Akari.

"Yuya!"

Yuya snapped from her thoughts and turned to Kyo who looked at her, frowning. "Yes, Kyo?"

"Wanna go to Akira's antique shop? I'm sure the camera modifications would be done by now… plus, we could go to Akari's clinic too… to supply your iron tablets."

Wow, he read her mind. Yuya just gave him a simple nod and smiled.

"Sure, why not?"

-

A/N: Like what I said, it's short and the ending of it sucks too. Well, can you blame me for being disappointed? I was hoping for A203, the reviews would be at least at a faster rate than Curse but oh well. I'm still mad at you non-reviewers… you read, I can see, you know? If I don't, it'd be less painful. Chapters are gonna be shorter… I'd be expecting at least ten reviews for each chapter but again… oh well. Following the teacher rules of: from a person's (or in this case, persons') mistake, all will be affected… no reviews that suffice will equal to SHORT chapters. Believe me, SHORT chapters or better yet, no updates and all my stories will be on hiatus for… a month. So… at least… out of a hundred of you who read… at least twenty of you have to review. A Malay saying: 'Seekor Kerbau Membawa Lumpur, Semua Terpalit' and also 'Siapa Yang Makan Cili, Dia Terasa Pedasnya'. I know it's harsh but I'm PISSED.


	14. Chapter 13

A/N: hey… I'm back with another useless chapter. I didn't write anything for a while and I was lost. I kinda felt guilty about what I said and did to you guys. Well, this is short although not intentional. I was lost with the story after thinking very, VERY hard about where to start the romance between those two… sadly, Bun-san, it won't happen soon. Can I just spoil it all to you guys? I'm getting bored with writing this story and just want to start the prequel and sequel and bonus and the comic of it altogether. I'm also in no mood to write anymore and was planning to well… only continue it when I go to university and take an English thingy major or something… until my writing improves more. It's all crap and repetition right now. Damn it all! I didn't even read through this crappy chapter… and oh yeah, next chapter, I'm gonna bump it up a notch to sort of… more… touchy-touchy things and say hello to M-rated Curse.

Disclaimer: No, I don't own SDK and Amakura Kei and Mio belongs to Tecmo. I only own the story and some characters.

To reviewers: I'm so sorry.

-

Hour Thirteen – The Antique Shop

-

Arriving at the supposed-to-be antique shop, Yuya got out of the car with a worried sigh. She was getting dizzy because of blood loss. She regretted for choosing to go to the antique shop first before Akari's place. Well, they were there already so… what the hell!

Yuya stared at the building in front of her, suddenly feeling the urge to throw up as she sees the thick miasma surrounding the antique shop. She backed away from the building, her back suddenly connecting with a body. "Yuya? What's wrong?" It was Kyo. He turned her body around to face him by the shoulders. He gripped her shoulders hard and stared at her eyes that were obviously coated with haze and fear. "What's wrong?" he asked again.

Yuya, being the girl she is, shrugged him off. "I'm okay; I'm fine, let's go."

"If you say so."

Kyo led her to the entrance door, his eyes not off of her form. Yuya notices this and glares at him. "Stop looking at me, please. It makes me uncomfortable!" she snapped. Kyo smirked and then chuckled. "What?"

"Just now, I saw a hint of your brother in you."

"What?"

"Let's just leave it at that. Come, you'd love the inside of this place. It's so unique, even I love it." Kyo turned the knob of the large oaken door and gave it a push. The door creaked open and Yuya was sure she saw a hooded figure at the small opening! Yuya shook her head and closed her eyes, hoping that the figure will disappear. She opened her eyes slowly and it was… oh, still there unfortunately.

Kyo walked in but stopped to notice that Yuya was standing still outside, looking past him. He gave a small cough to snap her out of her small reverie. "Hey, are you coming or not?"

Yuya nodded and noticed that the figure disappeared. The miasma surrounding the house disappeared too. Giving out a relieved sigh she followed Kyo inside, closing the door behind her. She gasped when she saw the shop.

The shop had a musty and old look to it and had shelves everywhere and in the centre of the room, laid small pedestals with –obviously- old antiques on it. To her left was a counter with an old looking cash register. No one seemed to be here. Akira or anyone was no where in sight. Yuya reached out to touch Kyo's shoulder when something touched hers instead, making her jump with fright that came along with a piercing scream that could break everything made from glass in the shop.

"Whoa!" the thing that touched her backed away. "Hey! You could've destroyed my glass antiques! No screaming!" Yuya turned around to see that it was Akira, covering his ears. Yuya said sorry and blushed. He smiled and said sorry too, for scaring her.

"Yo, Akira! How are you? How's the shop? It seems that no one visited again this month…" Kyo made himself comfortable by sitting on the counter with a smug look on his face. Akira smiled slyly at him. "Hm? You did have customers?"

"Well, your old friend came here, Amakura Kei was it? He was looking for the Camera Obscura a few weeks ago. I told him I didn't have it and he left but not before saying something about his niece, Mio or something… do you know about his niece?" Akira shooed him off of the counter and made himself comfortable by being behind the counter, checking the cash register and smiled a little. "Hey… you didn't take any money."

"…yet." And Kyo reached out to take some but Akira smashed his fingers before he could do so. "Ow! What's the big deal?!" he shouted at him. Akira shook his head sadly.

"I earned these and I can't believe you'd still do that even in front of Yuya-san…" Akira took out a few coins and gave it to Kyo. "Here, buy yourself cola."

"Shut the fuck up."

Yuya butted in just in time before the two men embarrass themselves more. "Uh, well, Akira-san… is the camera ready by now?" she asked nervously.

"Oh, yes! I nearly forgot about that… well, come with me to the back and Kyo-san, please flip the store notice to 'Closed' please." And he led Yuya with him to the back, leaving the annoyed Kyo behind.

Behind the door where Akira called the back of the shop, was a dark yet elegant room. There was a large working desk at a corner and a cabinet of thing. Akira motioned for her to take a seat while he went to fetch the camera. Yuya obediently took a seat and stared at the nothingness in front of her, taking a deep breath.

"Yuya…"

Yuya turned around, expecting to see Kyo but lost her breath immediately to see the 'Kyo' from the house. The bloody kimono clothed Kyo with long hair that she didn't notice before… with bloodier eyes than the Kyo she knew. She wanted to scream, she really did but she couldn't and 'Kyo' was approaching her slowly. She shook her head in fear and her face paled as 'Kyo' reached out his hand as if to touch her. She closed her eyes shut as he stroked her cheeks softly. She didn't want to face him. She was scared.

"Yuya? What's wrong?"

Yuya opened her eyes to see the Kyo she knew. She sighed in relief and buried her face in her hands, laughing nervously. "Kyo… I'm glad to see you…" she whispered. Kyo looked at her confused.

"Well, where's Akira?" he took a seat next to her and placed his chin on his palm as he rested his elbow on the desk. "I'm getting quite bored… and the coins he gave me is not enough to buy me a cola."

Yuya laughed at his attempt in humor. She settled down after a while, staring at her pale hands resting on her lap. She decided to start a conversation and lifted her gaze from her hands only to find herself face to face with 'Kyo' yet again. She was getting annoyed, really. She was losing her supposed-to-be-there fear every time she sees him. She rolled her eyes before narrowing her eyes at him. "Okay, what do you want?" she asked annoyed.

"I didn't say anything… are you okay?" it was Kyo yet again.

Yuya shook her head, giving up. "Oh, I'm fine."

Just then, Akira came in with the camera in his hands. "Sorry it took a long time. I was kinda fixing it a bit more." He passed the two of them and took a seat behind the table separating them, facing the two. He shoved the camera to Yuya. "Here you go! I made some changes with it."

Yuya paled immediately. 'What if it lost its ability to capture ghosts on film?!' her mind screamed. "Uh… what exactly did you do?" she asked him, trying to mask the trouble in her words.

Akira, as if sensing her troubled state about the camera, reassured her. "Oh, don't worry. It still has its 'powers' if that's what you're afraid of. I just replaced the broken lens with another lens from a broken Camera Obscura I have here in the shop. I also… well, made some changes to make the camera more… automatic…" his voice faded and muted completely as Yuya's eyes were fixed at the thing behind Akira. The thing… it was holding a katana… and…

Yuya lifted the camera up automatically and pressed the shutter, earning a brighter flash than before. The thing… which was obviously a ghost, was shot back, flying away from Akira and melted from view. Akira was stunned. Kyo was too. "Uh… oh yeah, I also upgraded the flash…" Akira blurted out.

"…did you see something?" Kyo asked her quietly. Yuya just nodded. "Alright," he turned to Akira. "Thanks for the help, we better be going. There are 'things' in this shop of yours that is bothering Yuya so if you please excuse us…"

…

The two of them reached home at 6.00 p.m. sharp. They dropped by at Akari's to get her tablets and were forced to stay for tea. Yuya was clutching the camera all the time, muttering things about ghosts being everywhere. Kyo was worried but was clearly annoyed by her weird… disturbing behavior. Upon parking the car, Yuya rushed out from the car, leaving her medicine and a surprised Kyo behind.

"What the hell is wrong with her?!"

…

Yuya took a shower later that night, skipping dinner and all and it pissed Kyo off. She only took a shower when she was sure Kyo wouldn't come bothering her, which could only mean: 1) he's asleep or 2) he's in the study. She got into the bathroom and locked it shut. Sighing heavily to herself, she began to undo the buttons on her blouse when she suddenly felt eyes watching her action. She stopped immediately, glaring at her own reflection in the mirror. She was shocked to see her reflection being replaced by someone else: the jade-eyed woman. Yes, she feared her and she won't deny that she didn't. To her bewilderment, her hand shot up to touch the image in the mirror, connecting both her hand and the jade-eyed woman's together. Yuya tried to pull back her hand but it was sort of glued to the mirror and she panicked.

"Let me go!" she screamed at the reflection that didn't seem to be fazed. This ticked Yuya off. "Let me go or I'll break you!" she threatened.

"You'll only be getting more of me haunting you…" the reflection mouthed and Yuya's mouth moved, copying the reflection. "You see…? I am you…" the reflection smirked and Yuya could feel her lips forming one too.

"Whatever! I just wanna take a shower!" she shouted at the reflection, feeling her blood boil in anger.

"Be bathed in blood…" the reflection said before her hands passed through the mirror and grabbed a hold of Yuya's wrist, pulling her into the mirror.

-

A/N: when I wrote this, I was uninspired, bored, annoyed (after playing FF3 again) and confused (played KH2 again…) and was damn infected by Fatal Frame parody. I would be better off DDR-ing. The dumb humor doesn't work in this fic anymore… ah! Let me spoil the story! Characters, yes, SDK characters will DIE, DIE as the story progresses. I'm more than happy to kill them, tearing off their limbs apart and throwing them randomly into my other fics… ah. Well, I WILL kill them off and nothing will change my mind. This story will be longer than I expected by the way… see you when I'm in university (if I do anyway…)!!! Next year's 'O'-level for me and I have no idea what to do!

P.S: I finally sketched Kyo and he looks gay.


	15. Chapter 14

A/N: Hey there! Here I am with a new chapter! It might be a little bit different, just a little or maybe more. This chapter acts a tester to what I'm going to do in the future which is… 1) a walkthrough fic and 2) a first-person fic. I don't really know if this idea will be liked by everyone but I'm sure the walkthrough fic, which is not yet included but will be in the future will be liked by people. It'll just be a walkthrough… just like a game for later in the chapters. Yuya's will be in first-person in this chapter. I'm never good at what I'm writing in this chapter so I'm sorry if it is not to your liking. Hm… I see that… I may have offended some of my reviewers by replying them harshly… I was so under the weather… so I'm sorry… and I was PMS-ing… SO SORRY! Please forgive me! Well… I hope you guys will review this one because I need some help on how to write… I don't care if it's SO long… you guys are allowed to flame me in this one chapter… just as long as it won't kill my spirit… I have an HP of 60 now. I had fun writing this btw… even if it does suck. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Seriously, not mine except for some characters and the storyline.

Dedication: This is to my little niece, Rinrin, who is still so small but is exposed to ghost earlier! Even if the video's not clear, you can always watch the video on youtube of her, and the voice is all mine…LOL. Search for 'cute shirin'.

Reviewers: Love you guys SO much, especially you three who reviewed the last one!

-

Hour Fourteen - The Mirror of Passages

-

I opened my eyes and found myself lying naked on the floor, somewhere on a corridor. I flushed, and scampered around to find something. I rushed to the nearest room, pushing the sliding door away and crawled inside. Luckily for me, it was a woman's room… judging from the amount of kimonos hanging, I looked around but found none that caught my eye. 'I'm naked… why do I care of what to wear?!' I shouted at my fashion sense. There were two closets; one was close to me so I hurried there. I pushed the sliding door open and checked each small kimono drawers. After the fifth drawer, one finally caught my eye… a crimson one. I took it out and hurriedly covered myself with it, wounding the belt quickly. Pulling down the cloth covering a mirror, I looked at myself. I looked…

…holy crap…

'I HAVE BROWN HAIR!' I screamed inside.

"…Why…? Why is my hair…?" I touched the mirror, hoping it was the jade-eyed-evil-bloody woman but damn it… it's all me. I frantically moved around when I heard something drop on the floor.

I turned to look at the floor, only to discover a stone… a stone… a stone mirror? It was definitely a stone… but it reflected me and it was glowing faintly.

I kneeled down and grabbed it, tucking it into the sleeve of the kimono, hoping that it would be something of a nice aid to help me. When I got up from my position, something stopped me midway.

"…she…maiden…must not…blood…love…forbidden…running away…stop her…"

I heard a voice coming from the opposite room of this room. It was connected so I walked slowly to the connecting door and kneeled down, placing my ear to it and held my breath. The talking continued.

"Yukiyo…she will run away with that man…she will go away…leaving us before…before the ritual…no one…who can replace her…must inform Shiryu-sama…"

"That clan…we will die…they want her alive…she must run…no…what about us…no…"

"She must…"

I backed away immediately. "What…what did they do inside? I heard…I heard…hammering…" my breath came out in gasps and I couldn't move. I felt something on my now-clothed shoulder. A cold breeze passed by me. The room suddenly felt colder than before…

I gulped before bringing my shivering hand to touch the _something_. It…it was solid… but it was… so _cold_… I turned my head to my right…

Cold pale eyes with long bangs covering most of the face stared at my green ones through parted hair. "_She must not run away…" _her hand reached out to grab my neck but I pushed her away. Falling on her knees, she started weeping. _"Lady Yukiyo…please don't leave us…we'll protect you…" _crying out, the surroundings suddenly turned monochrome.

'I'm surrounded by four of them! **Four** of them! What can I do?!'

All four spirits, all of them crying, reached out their hands to grab me. I immediately took a quick left turn and dived to roll over and miss the one on the left. Missing the spirit, I hastily pushed the sliding door open and made a run for it. I heard annoying wailing behind me but I didn't stop to see if they followed me or not. 'I need the camera!'

"I'll call that room the Kimono Room… I seriously need to draw a map of this place… Or I won't survive…" I said quietly to myself, for fear that there was a spirit nearby.

In front of me was a T-junction, on both of my sides, were two other rooms, one with a wooden door and the other with a sliding door. I turned to the wooden door and tried to push it open but it was locked. I looked around for a keyhole but there was none. I backed away and slanted my head to my right, thinking. 'No keyhole… but locked.'

I turned my attention to the other room. I took hesitant steps and once near, tried to slide it open. It was not locked so it ran to the other side smoothly. I peered in to see the room. It was a huge room, with a futon in the center, closets on the side, a box on the corner with a rock on the lid and small fire posts lighting up the place. Folding screens covered the small window. A low table with books on it was next to it, along with a bookshelf with old dusty book. "…somebody sleeps here, unlike the Kimono Room…" I thought out loud. I walked over to the box, hoping to find anything that could help me. I kneeled down and lifted the heavy rock off of the lid and pushed the lid open and peeked in…

"AHHH!" I fell back on my butt and backed away as fast as I could.

"…_It's dark…"_

My lips quivered in fear as I saw… saw a woman crawling out of the box, her fingernails ruined, as if she was scratching the lid, trying to get anyone to save her. Suddenly, I could hear loud scratching filling the room. "…There's… there's no sound system here…" okay, that was dumb.

"_Why…? Why didn't anyone hear me…? I'm afraid of the dark…"_

The Crawling Woman crawled slowly, approaching me as I lay there helplessly on the tatami covered floor. Her body was so thin it reminded me of my friend who was SO on a diet. Her kimono was ruined… and I could see that her sleeves had teeth marks on them… could it be that she was trying to eat them…?

The spirit reached out her hand, with her hair covering her face. I could smell rotting flesh… gods… I wanna puke! "Stay away from me!" I tried to kick her face but my foot went right through her head. "Holy shit!" I turned around and fell on my stomach as my foot got grabbed by the ghost. I could feel my life draining out of me and I begin to weaken as her grip was still on me.

"…Let go of me…" I tried to reach out for something… anything…

"_Why did you put a rock on the box…? WHY?!"_ the Crawling Woman screamed and everything went black.

…

Kyo knocked on the bathroom door harshly as Yuya did not come out for half an hour. Kyo was getting impatient and he knocked louder. "Yuya! Get your ass out of there! I need to pee!" he shouted, giving her a very fake reasonable reason.

"…I'll come out in a bit…"

Kyo frowned hearing her voice. "Are you okay? You have a sore throat?" Kyo said as he leaned in to the listen. There was no sound coming from the other side. "You sure you're okay?" he tried to turn the knob of the door open but it didn't even budge!

"I… I'm okay… **Kyo**…"

"Alright, just be sure to come down, I'll be heating your dinner… I don't give a tiny rat's ass about you but Akari just called to check up on you…" he trailed off as the sound of water can be heard from the other side of the door. "You're just starting your shower?! How dirty are you?!"

"…wanna come in and _join_…?"

"No thanks, I need to read."

The sound of water disappeared.

…

"…ngh…"

"_Shh… she's stirring!"_

"…Where am I…?" My eyes opened and it was all still dark. "Who's there…?"

"_Ah! Let's run! Lady Yukiyo will kill us!"_

I heard the sound of sliding doors open and close. My head hurts so much and my whole body felt weak. I pushed the floor underneath my body and lifted my upper body up and supported it with my arms. I shook off the feeling of drowsiness and looked around. I was in a different room.

The more I look at it… the more I'm sure it's a child's room. There were dolls lying around, some of them don't have heads… all of them were wearing kimonos. There was a doll altar too. The whole room was painted in red. I was stunned. "…blood…?" my throat felt dry.

"Hey…Lady Yukiyo…"

I turned around and came face to face with a child, holding a ball. She was smiling rather strange at me and I can only muster a very weak grin. She held out the ball to me. "Let's play, Lady Yukiyo!"

I was quite surprised. 'Yukiyo refers to me?!' "Uh…sorry…but I'm not Yukiyo…you must be mistaken…and I'm sorry, I can't play with you…I'm too…_busy_…" I looked around, hoping the camera would magically appear and I can snap a shot of her and send her to hell.

"…that's what mom used to say to me…and that's why she sent me to this temple…she never wanted me…" the girl fell on her knees and starter bawling and it threw me back, hitting a wall. She stopped and looked at me, her eyes pale, glaring at me. _"You shall pay…"_

"You're a spirit?!" I yelled out as I dodged a ball thrown at me, materializing from air. I grabbed the nearest doll on the ground and aimed it at the girl. I took aim and pivoted my arm but something held it tight. I turned around and saw another child, a boy, grinning like crazy.

"_Are you trying to hurt Ayase-chan, Lady Yukiyo?"_ he gripped my hand tighter and I could feel my energy being drained out of me. I quickly wriggled my wrist free from his grasp and slapped him. He backed away instantly as a flash of light came out of no where as he dropped something on the ground.

"The Camera Obscura!" I lunged forward to get it but the camera disappeared right under my nose. "Huh?!" I frantically tried to look for it since it's the only thing that could banish the spirits. "Where is it?!"

"_Looking for this…?"_

It was Ayase's voice… and it didn't sound nice. I turned around to witness her face in a distort, bleeding and she was deadly pale. Her kimono was all bloody. Her right hand was holding the ball and on her right… was the Camera Obscura!

"Give it back!"

"_Play ball with me first."_

"How?!"

"_Catch!"_ she threw the ball at me and it passed right through me and I felt myself getting weaker. Ayase only giggled and later, it became creepier. _"You suck…"_

I bit my lip in anger. "I do not suck…"

I lunged forward at her and slapped the camera away from her and grabbed it as quickly as I could in an instant as it fell on the floor. I grabbed it, lifted it up to my face and stayed in frame of Ayase, who fell on her knees again and started crying. I was surprised at the new noise I get when I stayed in frame. Something collected at the lens and when it charged full, it let out a very annoying sound, making me press the shutter and send Ayase flying away. Something like blue orbs from the spirit flew straight at me and I dodged it but it kept flying at me and it hit the camera. The orbs collected in the camera. I just ignored it and went to find the boy.

"Come out; come out wherever you are…" I called out, feeling quite strong as I now have the camera. I smiled triumphantly as I found the boy spirit. "Hey, let's play now?" I asked him, knowing full well that he could be scared after seeing Ayase flying away to oblivion.

He glared at me before he lunged forward at me, grabbing my hand, forcing me to lower the camera from view. "Argh!" his touches drain more of my energy and I fell down on my knees, too weak to even move. "Damn it… I feel like I'm in a game…"

Something to my left caught my eyes. It was glowing rather weakly, just like the stone mirror I have. I took it out of me and found out that it had broken into tiny shards. I now had flashbacks as to when I fought with the Crawling Woman. Before I passed out, I heard something break. 'Could it be that this stone mirror… stopped me from dying?' "Okay… that's just dumb…"

The boy lunged forward at me again, now shouting for Ayase. _"Give back Ayase!"_ he shouted at me as I dodged him and landed right in front of the glowing thing. It was a small wooden flask with the kanji for 'herbal' on it. I grabbed it and quickly undid the lid and saw some tablets in it. I shrugged off the thought of it being poison and took two of them. After gulping them down, I suddenly felt myself revitalize. Feeling the spirit to fight once again, I brought the camera to view and searched for the boy. Once in frame, I waited again and waited for the annoying noise I get from waiting. Once the annoying voice became the most annoying, I took a shot of him and felt that the shot was powerful enough to actually melt him into the ground but not before calling out for Ayase.

I sighed and grinned in victory as I searched the room for any glowing things. I checked the drawers present in the room and found nothing of use. I checked around for anything that caught my eye and found a book lying at where the boy melted. I kneeled down and took it into my hands and flipped through the pages. When I found a rather bloody page, I read it out.

'_Ayase didn't come back from her trip to the woods today… I was worried. I asked the Waiting Maidens if they have seen her and they said the have not. I asked permission from Shiryu-sama to let me out of the temple but she declined, saying that it was already late for me to wander around so I just waited and waited for her…'_

'_Ayase never came…'_

I closed the book and sighed heavily. 'Could Ayase have died?' I thought to myself as I got up on my feet and headed out to leave when I heard a very familiar voice behind me. "Not her…" I muttered as I felt a cold presence behind me.

"_You came…"_

I turned around and yes, it was her. It was the ever so annoying spirit that claims that she is me… the Jade-eyed Woman. I lifted my camera to my eyes and smiled. "Have you ever had your picture taken?"

I took a snap of her but cursed immediately as she disappeared from view. I turned around only to find her an inch from my face, ready to kiss me. I backed away and fell, turning around recklessly as I wanted to find a place to escape. 'She's invincible…' my eyes fell on a glowing mirror to my left. It was glowing blue and I quickly aimed it and hit the shutter button.

The mirror broke into pieces and I found myself whirled around the same monochrome flashbacks. I heard the same screams and all that and quickly closed my eyes as I saw a bright flash of light. I rammed into it and I found myself back in Kyo's bathroom as I opened my closed eyes. The mirror at where I was sucked into broke from behind me and it penetrated my skin. I yelled in pain as I collapsed… but not before witnessing the Jade-eyed Woman grin in one of the broken shards…

"_We'll meet again."_

-

A/N: Hope you had fun reading and please, tell me what you think! It'll help me improve. R&R please! Some romance will start… maybe… or just some more introduction to ghosts.


	16. Chapter 15

A/N: Short but didn't mean it!!! Don't kill me! I failed to keep my promises a few times already but here's a bit KyoYuya for you people who wanted it! I'm sure Kyo will change overtime, be patient. I was a lil' bit inspired to write but it came out short and boring, sorry! School started, hectic year, I'm sure. I have to make an effort to well, study since my effort's gone for years now…Ugh…Cambridge people would be too strict for my taste.

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own it except some stuff you know is not Kamijyo's.

Reviewers: Love, Love, Love ya guys. Support is what made me write some chapters so keep on doing so!

-

Hour Fifteen – All I Could Do Is Cry (For Both of Us)

-

Kyo looked at the unconscious girl once more as he prepared a basin of warm water and a towel. He dipped the towel in the basin of water and let it stay for a couple of seconds more before he took it out and wiped Yuya's face with it. Kyo found her in the bathroom, lying on the floor bloodied by her blood when he was checking out on her. Her back was all covered with broken mirror shards, all of them varying in size. A very large piece, as he decided when he removed most of them, stabbed her at the exact location as where the heart should be. Luckily for her, _and_ him, it was not too deep. The once white bathroom was now…painted in red, sadly for Kyo, he never did want to paint it red and most of all, his bathroom was not black. Although it was meant to be a play on the lyrics, 'I see a red door and I wanna paint it black…' no, Kyo never did like that sentence.

Yuya was again unconscious for days and it annoyed a side of Kyo. He would have to push all his work away to tend to her, changing her bandages (difficult since she was quite immobile at the moment), washing her body (come on, what man does not like doing so?), feeding her (which proved to be very difficult) and most importantly, praying for her to wake up. He wasn't really someone who lives by his faith but he was still hoping for something to help her wake up because as he said before, he doesn't give a tiny rat's ass about her…or so _he_ says…

Kyo brought his research notes with him as he once again, sat next to Yuya and read her a 'bedtime story' like the other nights before. Kyo would occasionally ask her questions as he read to her, even though he knows what the answer will be. He will often sing her songs; play with her fingers and all that crap. He didn't know where it came from but he felt the need to protect her after experiencing all those things after he met her…for him…that kind of feeling was new.

Yuya reminded him of his pet cat (before it died of neglect, but don't ask him if it was his fault or you'll die), the need of care radiates around her and he felt like he was needed to give her that 'needed care'. His cat had green eyes like hers too…and the way she glares at him… reminded him of the way his cat used to glare at him when he forgot to feed her (okay, it was maybe his fault…but who gives a damn?!). "…Meko…I'm sorry…" he said to himself.

"…who the hell is Meko?"

Kyo turned to look at the owner of the voice. A small relieved smile formed on his face as Yuya opened her eyes in annoyance accompanied with a bright weak smile on her face. "…wasn't expecting to see you…" she said weakly.

When Kyo saw her make the motion to move, he stopped her immediately, pushing her shoulders slowly back to the bed. "Don't move, your body still needs some time for it to heal."

"…what happened?" she questioned as she relaxed back into the pillow her head was resting on. Everything was vague to her and all she could remember was holding the Camera Obscura in her hands before fainting. She looked around for the camera and saw that it was sitting on the end table.

"…I don't know…" was all he could answer her with.

"Surely, you should know something."

Kyo lifted his eyes to hers. He unconsciously grabbed a hold of her pale hands and brought it to his left cheek as he leaned into her face. "…you nearly died."

Yuya widened her eyes at his words. "…really?" she asked as Kyo closed his eyes as he moved her palm to his mouth. He continued breathing through his mouth as he relaxed, tickling her palm. "…Kyo?"

"I was worried."

"…really?"

Kyo brought her hand to his chest. It was beating rapidly. "Can you feel that?" he breathed out. Yuya nodded her head.

"I could actually hear it by the way…" Yuya smiled and giggled. "You _were_ worried about me…"

"…yes. Maybe…" Kyo told her. He wasn't sure himself. Was his heart beating because of worry or something else? The sense of protectiveness…he feels for her, it confuses him, dearly.

"…why are we like this, Kyo? Why are we…brought into this…weird thing?" Yuya sat up slowly, her hand still held by Kyo. "…is it fate?" she questioned more to herself. "…or is it just my luck? I…may die before all of this ends, I'm sure…with the constant loss of blood…I…"

"…it's fate and I'm thankful."

"…what?"

"…I'm thankful. I may…may have…" Kyo looked into her eyes. "Lost faith in fate, but I'm thankful."

"…Kyo…" her eyes were beginning to sting from the tears that fought to come out. "…how I wish my brother was still alive right now…"

"Why? To kick my sorry ass?"

Yuya only smiled. "No…but…I want to borrow his shoulder to cry on…like what I did when I cried…" Yuya's tears began to fall. "…I…it's been a long time since I cried for no reason."

"I want nii-sama's shoulder…" Yuya began to sob and cry.

"You can borrow mine if you don't mind."

Yuya looked up at Kyo, her vision blurry from the tears that gathered in her eyes. "…!" without thinking, she threw her arms around him and cried her eyes out, not caring if he was seeing her weakness. She needed to cry herself out; it's what she always did when she was clueless. "I don't…don't know why I'm crying but! I need to cry! But why am I crying?! Waaah!!!"

With Yuya crying on his shoulders, Kyo stayed quiet all the time. He would occasionally soothe her when she began to scream out her words. He could feel his clothes wet by her tears but he ignored it.

Kyo knew he can never cry so he took her crying as…

…his own tears…

-

A/N: That's a wrap for Curse of The Fading Tears!! …NOT! Okay, I'm busying myself with making the theme song for this story (I'm SO nice, ne?) even though I'm supposed to be busying myself with writing it! LOL. Well, after I'm done, I'll give some of you guys a listen (it's supposed to come out, well, during the end of Curse, download it first before reading the ending, if you can because I'm trying to make it as emotional as I can so you guys would cry!) but I'm still debating whether or not it should be Japanese or English. I'm rewriting the lyrics again, coz the drafts just suck. After I'm done with the song, I could also do a PV, yay!! Okay, busy year but I still feel that I can do it!!


	17. Chapter 16

A/N: So…another chapter at such short notice? Maybe…LOL. I'm listening to a song called 'tears' when I wrote this so it's pretty much about liquids…in this chapter. It's again short, but a nice add to the story, I guess. Hope you guys like this one too. I think I love this chapter, btw. I think it's a cute add to the background. I'm confused with some of the facts in the story…sorry. I kinda lost my notes…on this, names and such. So maybe I'll revise this. I was lazy to look up some things I may have mentioned before…so, if I did something wrong, alert me.

Dedication: To my dear friend and authoress, _Rizu_ (you know who you are::winks::)

Reviewers: Okay…only two…how little…anyhow, review this one, please! Or I won't update!

-

Hour Sixteen – Losing Something (Such As a Key)

-

Sitting at the porch, Yuya looked up at the darkening skies as she reminded herself of the past occurrence since she came to Japan…all the frightening things and also…some funny things with Kyo. Going into that house where…Nozomu saw his death and also Kyo's dead sister, Uruha…and those ghosts that wanted to kill them. The ghost Shinrei who kissed her as a warning, those three hooded figure that carved her body like meat, that Bloody Kyo who said he loved her and also…the Jade-Eyed Woman who calls herself 'Yuya'. There's also one more thing that bugs her the most…the urge to cry every time.

Her body was now marred with scars and her eyes are all puffy from crying and her lips have gone dry. Her skin became a whiter shade of pale, with the three hooded figures visiting her every now and then and her body resisting the iron tablets…it confuses Yuya very much.

Was she meant to die in Japan? Was she meant to die like her brother? Was she meant to leave his death just like that? Was she meant to be a sacrifice of a black past? Was she…

…Was she meant to meet and then leave Kyo?

…and…was she meant to fall in love with _him_?

All these questions haunted her as she continued to stare at the starless skies. Her dry mouth parted slightly as rain began to fall down from the skies. As a drop of rain dropped on her face, near her eyes and trailed down to her lips.

Her tears are falling again.

…

Kyo stared at the music notes in front of him as he began to play the piano according to it. He was actually quite good at composing music before he turned his attention to studying folklore. It's been a while since he played his white grand piano and his hands have lost its smoothness but he could still play. He didn't know what made him buy a white one in the past but he didn't regret it. All the while, while he played, hitting the keys…his head was filled with Yuya and how the white suits her very much. He continued playing until his hands decided to move by itself and played a tune foreign to him yet so familiar and his mouth began to move…

_Sayonara, sayonara_

_My room had a faint you in it_

_Was it just me or do I just miss you dearly?_

_I guess, to move on, I had to throw some things away_

_I just got to say 'goodbye' to you_

Kyo's hands began to swiftly play as his face contorts in confusion and surprise. He doesn't know this song at all and the way his hands played it…it was as if he knew the song since he was born.

_On days such as today_

_I can only hope for you to come_

_Because I can't believe that you'd die just like that_

_I'm not that stupid_

_You don't die easily_

Kyo's eyes began to widen as he saw a reflection of something beginning to form on the flat shiny surface of the white piano.

"_There's no goodbye"_

_I want to go to you_

_The start of our tragedy…_

_I just want to say 'thank you' to you_

_Will you be there tomorrow?_

Kyo immediately closed his eyes shut as he thought he saw something he thought he saw. He saw…a woman with similar eyes with Yuya and brown hair, moving her head side to side as his hands move swiftly on the keys. He knew he's seen her somewhere before…

_Arigato, arigato_

_All the things you give me, I'll cherish it_

_Close to my heart_

_Just like the way you were_

_I just got to say 'thank you' to you_

Kyo finally remembered where he saw the woman before. In his dream, during the coma…he saw this girl countless of times, with a man who looked like him. The woman closed her eyes and continued to move her head to the slow melody of the song and the soothing yet foreign voice of Kyo.

The woman opened her eyes once again and pierced Kyo with her intense sad gaze. Her mouth began to mimic Kyo's and somehow, Kyo's voice was muted, and the room was now filled with Yuya's voice albeit a deeper version of her voice.

_I will say goodbye and thank you_

_When you come to me_

_We were lovers that are friends_

_I just have to say those words_

_Forgive me_

Kyo's eyes began to sting and he found his white keys now blemished with drops of deep crimson, his blood, which came from his eyes. Before he fainted, he saw a blurred light, calling out his name as his body fell from the piano bench and landed softly on the carpeted white floor.

…

Yuya dropped the receiver as her conversation with Akari ended. Telling Akari about the ghosts wouldn't do any difference, so she just told him to come over as soon as possible. Kyo was out cold this time and Yuya couldn't do anything. She saw something happen just before he fainted. She saw the Bloody Kyo behind him, holding something in front of Kyo's eyes of what looked like…needles…just before Kyo screamed in pain.

Before that, she heard Kyo sing a song…with a melody so familiar to her. Her mouth began to move on its own before she heard her own voice singing and Kyo's voice disappeared. She immediately ran to the living room where he was and just then, the voice disappeared. Yuya was frightened to the core.

After deciding her decision, she reached out to the phone receiver again as she dialed Yukimura's number. As the other line picked up, she asked for Yukimura to come over. She didn't know why, but her heart said that calling for Kyoshiro would only make matters worst and Kyo never did like him. With that, she dropped the receiver again and started making her was to the study to search for something to help her end this nightmare…

…

Yuya pulled out a not so old book from the bookcase and settled down to read it. The book was barely readable but Yuya could see herself understanding the faded texts. Flipping the pages, Yuya looked out for stories of a 'Crying Priestess' or something to do with tears. "'The Maiden of Tears'…" Yuya read out loud as she spotted something she was now familiar with. She read it out:

_The Maiden of Tears_

'_There has been much speculation of where this legend came from but it is proved to still live on until today. There is a well known temple called 'Namida Temple' in the southern parts of Japan, just outside of Tokyo, amongst the forests filled housing sites. This temple housed several women, maidens to be exact, who follow a different direction of Shinto. Around this place too, a house owned by the renowned Mibu Clan stands. Following a different direction, the priestess' of this temple holds an Offering Ceremony called the 'Crying Ceremony'. In this ceremony, the chosen maiden of the year would be the 'Maiden of Tears' where this maiden would perform of what is called the 'Offering of Tears' where she will cry for forgiveness from the Gods.'_

'_Normally, maidens will succeed in helping people release their grieves by using her tears but now, as of today in the year 1965, the number of successful maidens began to decrease as they could not cry even a Petri dish full anymore, let alone a bowl for the Offering. Some maidens are successful but in the end, something bad happened to them. They will die after the ceremony.'_

'_According to the Shrine Mistress, Kiyo, they couldn't afford to keep followers anymore as the Holy powers of the Maiden of Tears no longer work, they will soon vanish from the Shinto world. "-there are still some, but not a lot. Our latest maiden, Sayaka, succeeded in crying and living after the ceremony but-"'_

"The text faded…" Yuya murmured to herself. She flipped through a couple of pages more but found nothing that mentioned about the maiden anymore. She closed the book and set it down on the coffee table just before she heard the doorbell rang.

Yuya walked to leave the room but stopped dead in her tracks when she heard something drop on the floor. She turned around and looked down at the floor and gasped in fear as the book she was reading just before was now on the floor and was flipped to the page she just read. She walked slowly to the book and knelt down to put it back in the bookcase but withdrew her hand immediately when the book started to shake as if there was an earthquake. Yuya backed away, screaming as she saw the book **bleeding**.

Yuya turned around and rushed out of the room and ran down to let her guests come in as soon as possible and was maybe glad that she missed the pool of blood slithering into Kyo's room…

-

A/N: Loved it? Of course you did! Even I liked it! Well, the song included in here, would be the final song (in Japanese though) and I'm in the midst of translating it. Although some of the Japanese meanings are changed a bit, it's wholly what the lyrics say. Called 'A Goodbye and Thankyou' and I'm kinda figuring out the simple melodies of it already. I will have the English version interpretation of this story too, although I find it hard. Someone's seen it already so maybe I'll do that too. That's not the full version of the lyrics though, the one in this chapter, I mean. Well, I guess…that's all for now. Btw…is this a cliffhanger? No, I don't think so. R&R, okay?


	18. Chapter 17

A/N: SHORTEST CHAPTER ALERT! Wait…no, it's not! SECOND SHORTEST CHAPTER ALERT! Okay, didn't mean it…oh wait, yes, I did. Well, not really but at the same time, yes, I did. I just don't know how to proceed with this chapter. It's completely random because I did a mistake with leaving the story with a 'blood-slithering-into-Kyo's-room' yeah! MAJOR CONFUSION!!! But fret not, I'll do the next chapter nicely (I hope). My bloody damn little sister (the molester, perv and oh yeah, never respects me as a human and also a total befitting with the title Devil Von Doom) was singing, poking, tickling and godawfully was annoying me throughout the whole chapter and I was so darn confused myself…damn bitch.

Dedications: Well, here it goes to the non-reviewers out there! The worst chapter (to me) dedicated to you! (Yes, I'm sorry; I'm in the foulest mood in the history of Devil Torment)!

Reviewers: LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! And oh, to my dear Flaylda: NO NO HATING YUYA-NEE! SHAME ON YOUUUUUU! And yes, _Rizu_, it's you!!

-

Hour Seventeen – Let Me Out

-

Yuya came into the living room with a tray of hot drinks and some biscuits, her eyes shadowed by her hair. Akari played around with the remote of Kyo's big TV and Yukimura was busying himself with his raven hair. Glancing at Yuya, he spoke, "What's wrong again, dear Yuya-san?"

Yuya stopped dead in her tracks as she laid the tray down on the coffee table. Turning to both of them, she smiled weakly and sighed. "Nothing really…Kyo…well, he fainted…" she said slowly.

Akari jumped from his seat and turned his attention to Yuya. Yukimura just looked surprised. Yuya only smiled and pointed to the stairs. "Go ahead and take a look at him…" she murmured as she moved the drinks by the saucer on the table. She continued to do so with the plate of biscuits and turned to leave the room, taking the tray with her. She glanced back at them and gave her another smile, "…I'll go get the refill…don't take your time upstairs…don't want the drinks to be cold, ne?" and she disappeared to the kitchen. Akari and Yuki looked at each other and then just shrugged it off.

…

Yuya collapsed on the floor, her back to the counter. Immediately paling, she took out some painkillers from her pocket as the pain is now recurring, the pain that happened before…the last time she cried, just before she heard Kyo sing…the pain as if her eyes were poked with something…

"Dammit! What the hell is wrong with me?!" Yuya swallowed two tablets and hurriedly grabbed the nearest bottle of liquid. Drinking it, she rested her head against the counter and let out a deep sigh. Hand still holding the bottle of orange juice, she looked up the hanging lamp in the middle of the kitchen. Her vision blurring, she closed her eyes and flashes of green appeared and she instantly opened her eyes.

"Damn bitch…"

…

Yuya climbed the stairs rather lazily, her hands supporting her body with the wall as she hugs the wall, slowly making her way up to check on why the others didn't come down after 10 minutes. Sure, Kyo's their friend and all…but still…

"Uh…guys…?" she croaked out as she finally reached the second floor. Dropping on her knees, she breathed in and out with difficulty and every time she closes her eyes…she sees _that_ woman…and no, she doesn't want to.

"Yuya-san!!" Akari squealed, running to her. "We can't open Kyo's door!" kneeling down, Akari helped Yuya sit up. "…what's wrong with you?"

"N-nothing…and what? Can't open his door? I didn't lock him…" Yuya finally regained enough oxygen and stared at Akari's eyes. "…did you call out for him? Is he awake?"

"No…but the door won't budge! Wouldn't at all! Yukimura's still trying to get into it with brute strength!" turning to the direction of Kyo's room, he shouted out, "Got in, Yuki?!"

"NO! NOT YET! AND DAMMIT! I BRUISE LIKE A PEACH!" came his answer.

"Akari-san, help me go to his room…I might know what's wrong…" Yuya said as she grabbed Akari's shoulders. Akari nodded and helped her stand and slowly walked towards Kyo's room.

-

…_It's starting…_

…_transition…_

…_A new maiden…_

…_A new…_

…_New Sacrifice…_

…_Hell's Abyss is breaking loose…_

-

Yuya just stared at the motionless body in front of her. She was now in Kyo's room, pulled in by a force with the door slamming shut behind her…leaving her no where to go out. With the constant banging of her friends on the other side of the door, Yuya's head felt like it was about to explode!

"Yuya! Yuya! Open the door!" and the banging continues, leaving Yuya exasperated.

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! I CAN'T OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR! I JUST CAN'T!" she screamed her lungs out. "…leave us alone…" she felt tears building up again but she refused to cry. It **hurts** to cry…

"**We want to be together…"**

Yuya looked up at the big mirror in Kyo's room and felt like she just wants to die right then and there…it was just too much for her to handle. The Jade-Eyed Woman was there again, in the mirror, her hands on the other side of the mirror. _"Let me out…"_ she pleaded, her voice cracking.

Yuya shook her head, disagreeing with her pleading. "No…you've ruined our lives already…" she spat at her.

The Jade-Eyed Woman only stared at her, uncaring. Disappearing from the mirror, something came out of it instead, leaking out at the bottom rim. **It was the blood**. Yuya crawled away and aimed for Kyo's bed and with the remaining strength she had in her, jumped onto the bed and crawled next to Kyo's sleeping form.

"…Kyo…please wake up…" she whispered as she held Kyo's cold hand and waited for the ghost to reform and kill them both. "…I…I…" her mouth begins but none of the words came out.

Hovering over both of them, the Jade-Eyed Woman did no justice to keep the calm in Yuya's soul anymore. Her tangled and rough brown hair covering the sides of Yuya's face and her blood red eyes paling the already pale face of Yuya. _"…let me out…"_ she said again. Yuya just stared and stared, shutting her brain circuits earlier.

Pale boney hands encircled her neck and held a strong grip, but not deadly. Her eyes piercing, she widened her bloody eyes and Yuya whimpered. _"…let me out…"_ she repeated and Yuya just shook her head. She seriously didn't know what she meant by 'let me out' because she's already out!

Yuya build up a little bit of courage in her and faced her so-called _enemy_. "W-what…the fuck…do you want…with me?!" she shouted at her, not caring if her saliva splattered back on her face when it rebounded from Jade-Eyed.

"…_I want you…to go…"_ she started and then her body began to fade…

"_To go…"_

Yuya stared at the Jade-Eyed Woman disappears and was shocked to listen to sad sobs accompanying her voice. "…you…"

"_Go to…Namida Temple…"_

-

A/N: Very ugly and vague and just plain BORING…and random and weird. I think I hate this chapter the most. Jade-Eyed is getting too annoying to me and dammit…I think the story's progress is rather…slowing down, don't you agree? School's cool so far but again, being in an elite school sucks…but again, I hope this year's a BLAST for me (in a way, if only there exists no BIG exams…sigh) and I'm going to be 16!! YAYNESS! Be very alert on my birthday! And be ready to review!! Well, it's still a long way…remember A203 and you'll remember my birthday! And btw…check out my DA for a scan on Curse, not much, but for now, yeah. Gay Kyo will still be a long way…LOL. Don't forget to R&R and don't forget I can see how many of you who read…tsk, tsk…don't let me down now, eh? I need more support than you actually think I need…I'm a selfish little sad girl…who will be doing a video of her thanking you people one day.


	19. Chapter 18

A/N: I can't believe I managed to update!! And I have two or three papers to sit through too tomorrow!! LOOL!! I was just inspired I guess. Not that I'm ready for the test but I kinda don't give a damn, I just feel too creative today to study. Sorry teachers…I'm such a bad student. Anyway, enjoy this a bit mature opening, I was kinda feeling weird when I wrote it. So, enjoy yeah?

Dedications: To the ever so supportive Flaylda!!! This is for you, I hope you enjoy!!

Reviewers: So, here's the next chappy! Hope ya enjoy it as much as I loved writing it!!!

Disclaimer: Nope, not mine. I just own the whole story and plot and some characters.

-

Chapter Eighteen – Pinwheel Necklace

-

Yuya held her breath as Kyo held her waist and pulled her close to his body. Yuya closed her eyes and breathed unevenly as Kyo moved his mouth to her neck and nipped, not too gently, at her skin, leaving a red mark and licked it soothingly. Yuya watched his movement through the mirror in front of them and held her breath every time Kyo moved to a new spot, leaving a very reminiscent trail of the past. He began to slowly unbutton her pure white blouse, undoing one…two…three…five…and there is now a very big gap, showing off her lacy bra underneath. His hands slowly moved up her stomach, making her gasp in surprise and moan in longing when his fingers stopped where her heart beats and lingered there for a good thirty seconds and then moved up to continue the journey across her body, passing her collarbone, her neck and then rested at her swollen red dry lips before moving it across the seam of her lips, so slowly that it earned a very light moan from her, making her close her eyes. Leaving her mouth, his hands rested on her shoulders before turning her whole body to face his. Kyo smirked looking at her flushed face and held it with both his large hands, cupping her smooth face and leaned in to plant a light kiss, gentle kisses…before it became more heated and the kiss became filled with a passionate sadness that is unknown to her.

"…_Yukiyo…" _Kyo breathed between their kiss.

Yuya's eyes snapped open and turned around to face the mirror and saw the reflection of the brown-haired her and the long-haired Kyo. Both so pale and bloody. The brown-haired her smiled wickedly and laughed hysterically like the ghost she is, forcing Yuya to push Kyo away and immediately leave the room, only to find herself in the same place she was in her last dream.

The mirror broke.

-

Yuya opened her eyes and sat up, finding herself covered in cold sweat. She covered her face and tried to regain her normal breathing as it hastened, remembering the weird dream she had. '…but…it felt so real…so, SO real…' she thought to herself, covering herself with the blanket and felt it to be a little too warm. "I wonder if Kyo's awake…" she murmured to herself as she got off of her bed and proceeded to go out her room and go to the said man's room.

Outside of his room, she took a deep breath before lifting up her fist to gently knock on his door. Knock-knock-knock. No answer. "Kyo? Are you awake?" she asked silently as she felt a cold breeze suddenly behind her. She gasped and turned around only to find nothing. She sighed in relief and continued to knock. "Kyo…I'm coming in."

She turned the knob and pushed the door gently and it creaked open. She stepped into the room quietly, afraid that he might be sleeping and waking him up. Yuya moved silently as a mouse and stopped when she felt the same breeze behind her. Her hair was standing on end. She closed her eyes and waited for a moment but this time, the breeze did not disappear. She closed her eyes and felt something wrapping around her body. Her eyes snapped open and she began to panic. She could not see anything when she scanned her body but she could still feel the grip. She turned her eyes to look at the mirror at where she saw the Jade-Eyed woman and saw a white bloody figure hovering a little bit over her with long black-red hair. "B-Bloody Kyo…" she whispered. Bloody Kyo turned to face the mirror.

"…_how are you today? Did you just finish your prayers?"_ he asked conversationally. Yuya showed a clear look of confusion. _"…Yuya?"_

Yuya didn't know what he meant but he felt like it was something she was used to hear. Nodding her head and smiling weakly, she brought her small hands to hold his large ones that rested just above her breasts. "…yes, I just finished it…and I'm fine."

"…_that's good to hear…"_ he whispered against her ear_. "…did you miss me?"_ he asked again, casually.

"…yes."

"…_do you long for me?"_

"…yes."

"…_do you wish to be with me and join me?"_

"…I don't know…" Yuya was unsure of what to answer him on that question; she felt that it was too deep to be answered by her. That question was not meant for her to answer. She felt his arms fall down her body to rest on his sides as she felt the breeze disappearing.

"…_good night, I'll come again."_

"Yuya?" Yuya lifted her eyes to see Kyo behind her, holding a cup of instant noodles. Closing the door behind him, he passed her and sat casually on his bed, taking an open book resting on the empty space next to his space. Grabbing his reading glasses, he set the noodle cup on the end table. "So…what are you doing here? Sleepwalking?" he asked as he wore his glasses.

"…no, I was just checking in on you…" Yuya immediately blushed when she found herself watching his lips and just noticed how perfect it was for a man. She looked away and turned to leave when he stopped her. "…what is it?"

"Stay, I wanna talk."

Yuya debated whether or not to stay and talk or leave and sleep and dream. 'Dream…dream of what? Kyo of the past?' "…but I want to sleep. I'm…tired?" she said more to herself.

Kyo stared at her, examining her movements before shrugging it off. "Okay, we'll talk tomorrow."

"What's it about anyway?"

"…something I just thought about."

"Can it not wait until tomorrow?"

He just shrugged.

Yuya sighed.

"Alright, let's talk…I kinda have something on my mind too…maybe." Yuya approached Kyo's bed and sat next to him, unaware that her blanket is on the floor at where she stood just before. She was also oblivious that she was not wearing a bra.

"Oh, nice 'assets'…" Kyo coughed out as he smirked when she looked at him confusedly. Pointing her face and bringing his finger to point down, she immediately blushed.

"D-damn you!!!" she shrieked as she protectively covered her chest. "Damn pervert…" she muttered with venom when Kyo chuckled.

"They're not bad to look at although you could go up a size…or two…" he dodged the fist that was aimed straight at his face. "Hey…I was just not kidding…"

"Argh…whatever, I'm leaving!" Yuya threatened as she proceeded to grab her blanket and covered herself with it.

"No, don't leave…the thing I'm going to talk about it important."

Yuya stopped and glared at him, moving back to sit next to him, farther away. "Okay, what is it?" she huffed.

"…before coming here, have you seen those _things_ before coming here?" Kyo asked as he flipped a few pages of the book on his lap.

"…you mean ghosts?" she asked quietly. With a nod from Kyo, she nodded her head. "Yes, once or twice before…but that was a long time ago. I stopped seeing when I first saw them when I celebrated my twelfth birthday…" she told him, a little unsure.

"…what actually happened?" he asked as he grabbed the noodle cup and began blowing the steam away.

"…nii-sama gave me a pinwheel necklace as a present. He said to me to **always** wear it but I was so upset by having it on after his death…I don't wear it anymore. Too much sad memories…" she told him with a frown.

Something clicked in Kyo's head when he took a long slurp of noodles. He stopped midway before slurping it all in and swallowing it. He thought for a moment before turning to her once more. "…do you still have it?"

"Yes…why?"

"Wear it."

"Again…why?"

"It might be the only solution to 'not see' the ghosts…I've been observing your for a couple of days…you're not happy to see the ghosts, do you?" he said rather precisely. Yuya was shocked to hear him actually observing her but didn't show her unpleasantness.

"Okay…but how about you? Have you always been _seeing_ the ghosts?" she asked him in return.

Kyo shook his head. "No, even if I could, I could only see dark shadows just like before, something was behind you, a very dark shadow…" he toned down his voice when Yuya paled. "…but sometimes, I could see them clearly."

"…so…we're just beginning to _see_ these _things_ just lately?" she asked him, something in her head clearly clicking together.

"…maybe…" his eyes fell on her lips, they were quivering. Turning to look at his clock, he saw that it was past midnight. "…maybe you should sleep."

"…yes, I should."

…

Yuya looked at the small bathroom mirror that was there to replace the broken mirror. She placed her hand on her right shoulder and felt the warm coldness she could feel on her. She could see the Kyo of the past behind her, his eyes a little sad. "Don't worry…" she whispered, grabbing the pinwheel necklace she brought with her and placing it in his invisible hands. "Please…put it on for me."

He closed his eyes and Yuya could feel a flash of pain in his eyes before he did so. Through the mirror, she could see him unclasping the necklace and bringing it around her neck and pulled it back gently and clasping it back. At the sound of the clasp clutch, Yuya could only see her reflection on the mirror but she could still feel a presence behind her.

"…Kyo?"

"…_until you are ready to see me…I'll be gone."_

-

A/N: So? Did you like it? If you do, review please, it's a polite thing to do. BTW, there are more promo pics for this story in my DA, and check out my blogspot, it's **frogluver . blogspot . com.** Without the spaces and the addition some other things…you get the idea. I might be posting pictures too!! LOL. I might update my profile so yeah, I might post it there. Maybe I should change my homepage to that, yeah, my xanga's kinda dead. And oh, bad news about the song…it might take ages and the lyrics will be redone yet again…LOL and I do not have chemistry with that music program thingy and damn computer shop didn't give me my serial numbers so I had to hunt them down myself. Help me find these: the serial number for Cakewalk SONAR 4 (if you have it, gimme coz I can't find it) and also Cakewalk Mediaworks. R&R, okay?


	20. Chapter 19

A/N: Here is the latest chapter! Wrote it out in a bad mood and I also wrote this notes after seeing the doctor…got blood taken out of me, no biggie. I'm just feeling nauseous and dizzy and maybe migraine. Maybe. I'll get the results of the blood thingy next week. So, since I'm in such a foul mood (I always do, don't I?), be very nice to me and review if you please. Oh yeah, this chapter's a bit weird.

Dedication: …to my injured arm (done by the blood-thing-needle).

Reviewers: You guys are SOOOOOOO big in my heart. Maybe bigger than my family, but no, not bigger than SDK, sorry! Thanks for the reviews!!!

Disclaimer: Things that don't belong to either me or Tecmo belong to Kamijyo. Things that don't belong to either me or Kamijyo belong to Tecmo. Things that don't belong anywhere in this world used in this story belong to me!!

-

Hour Nineteen – The Tape

-

Yuya held the bowl firmer with her left hand as she stirred the contents with the wooden spoon. She decided to bake a cake that day since Kyo was so busy with research to even cook…it was not that she can't cook any decent food…it's just that she wanted to make something that won't…won't…

…won't what?

She held the bowl firmer as she continued to stir the contents, biting her lips out of nervousness until the surface broke and some blood surfaced from the wound and began to drip. Her eyes widened as the drop of blood fell from her chin into the contents and she gasped. "…oh shit…" she muttered in spite.

Her inner self fought whether or not to throw the bloodied mix away or just bake the cake. It was ready anyway…she debated for a full five minutes before deciding to just bake it. "Well, it will evaporate anyway…right?" she said thoughtfully to herself as she poured the mix into the baking mould.

"It's just blood…right?"

_After 40 minutes…_

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" she screamed bloody murder as she opened the oven. She fell back at the sight…

Blood…blood was everywhere…everything in the oven except for the cake which was as pure white as the snow. With shaky hands, she reached out for over mitts and wore them and proceeded to take the white cake out of the oven and slammed the oven shut. She was going to have a hard time cleaning the oven and explaining it to Kyo.

She sighed heavily as she fetched a clean knife while waiting for the cake to cool. In the outside, she was smiling at the beauty of the cake. So pure…so, so very pure. In the inside, she was in turmoil at the incident. It just reminded her of how bloody her life was now. It's just very confusing to actually see the oven smeared in blood but the cake being so…so pure. Could this be a…sign? She will have to wait and see.

Kyo chose that as the right time to pop out and startle her with a package. Yuya backed away from him, nearly dropping the knife. "Don't startle me like that!!!" she hissed at him as she steadied the knife and placed it on the counter before turning to him.

"So…what's up? What's that?"

Kyo gave her a smirk before taking out something from the package. It was a tape. "Remember Mariya Inoue?" Yuya nodded before he continued, "Well, this is a recording of her during the meeting with the psychiatrist. It seems that I managed to get the tape of the recording…" Kyo ended with a smug look.

Yuya raised her brows. "…how? I thought those things are confidential…"

"…it is…but with the help of a good reason and something called money…" he trailed off, giving Yuya the 'you-know-what-I-mean' look. Yuya didn't look too shocked.

"…okay…so? Have you heard it? What did it tell you?" Yuya asked as she crossed her arms, waiting for the answer.

"…I haven't actually, I just received it. I hope it's worth the money…" he said before beckoning her to come to the living room to play the tape.

"By the way…bring some of the cake you just baked…I'm kinda hungry."

"Okay…" Yuya turned around and grabbed the knife from the counter and proceeded to cut the cake. She placed the knife steadily on the surface of the cake before adding a bit of pressure.

She stopped.

"…Uh, Kyo…better not. I'll fix something else okay?" she said before turning to get the stuffs for making other food. She grabbed a loaf of bread and lazily placed two slices into the toaster and made her way to grab some of the frozen pasta and heated it with the microwave.

She turned to the cake on the counter and gave it a long venomous stare before grabbing the knife she used before and started stabbing the white cake over and over like a possessed person.

Blood spurted out from the cake onto her face, her cheeks, her hair, her hands, her clothes…and also the kitchen. Satisfied with what she did, she grabbed the mould and threw it into the sink, washing it with over with water. She let out the breath she was holding the entire time in one long sigh.

She made her way to the other unused sink to wash away all the blood. She washed her hands first before halting her actions. She didn't smell like blood at all. She swiped some of the blood from her cheeks and took a whiff of it. She cringed. It smelled like raspberry. She took a taste of it with the swipe of her tongue and she felt like hitting herself on the head. It WAS raspberry.

"…what has gotten into me?" she questioned herself as she resumed her task on getting herself clean…

…and she laughed.

"It's all in my head. I'm wearing this necklace now, I shouldn't be seeing these things…" she said to herself, reminding herself that it was so stupid to even feel scared. She touched the pinwheel pendant and smiled at it as she remembered her brother.

"…I shouldn't be scared anymore…"

The toast popped out from the toaster.

…

"Here you go," she said as she presented the tray of food on the coffee table. She turned to Kyo, feigning a smile as he beckoned her to sit next to him. She walked slowly to him before plopping herself on the sofa, relaxing.

Kyo smirked, placing his arm around her, holding her shoulder lightly and pulled her into his body. Yuya tried to pull away but he held on tight to her. Yuya's cheek was on his chest and her hand fell on his abdomen. She didn't feel all too comfortable at all. "…what's this about, Kyo?" she asked through gritted teeth.

Kyo shifted. "…I don't know…just afraid you'll jump at me when you listen to the tape…" he looked down at her big confused green eyes. "…I heard it a bit, it was…weird. The psychiatrist's assistant also said that whoever listens to the tape and feels whatever the person in the tape says…they'll be cursed."

"And you still insist on listening to it knowing that we're already facing a big terrible problem of ours already?! Really!" Yuya pulled back from Kyo and pouted her lips. "…you…are so…frustratingly frustrating!"

"We'll be fine; we have each other, right?" Kyo said, half unaware at how cheesy that line was.

Yuya actually blushed at his words. She avoided his gaze as he lifted himself from the sofa to press the play key of the tape player. He then plopped himself back onto the sofa, sitting with his large hands stuck together, his fingers entwining with each other as he leaned out and settled his weight on his elbow. Yuya just relaxed herself, with her hands on either side of her leg, resting the weight on her palms.

_((**(Deep breathing)**…this is so awkward since it's been a…a long time since I've talked…))_

_((…That incident, actually, when I was I the house on that day, I was, there was actually, there was a dare going on between Izawa-sempai and Tennozou-sempai and then Tennozou-sempai agreed to do it and-))_

_((…I went there to fetch them since it's been like more than an hour since they came- got in and well when I was inside, my flashlight didn't work so I used my cell phone and I mailed my mom…))_

_((…There was a _restriction_ out there **(outside?)** and I dunno, when I came in there, I suddenly felt cold and eerie like someone was watching and then sometimes, I dunno, I felt like something was following me…))_

_((…and then I heard screaming and then I saw Izawa and Tennozou-sempai **(confused?)** and I saw Izawa-sempai…and she was decapitated by red eyes, a man with red eyes and a bloody kimono and I ran and ran and then I heard someone crying and it was Tennozou-sempai but when I checked her, she had no eyes and then I saw something, I saw a woman with bloody green eyes, no, she didn't have any eyes, and then I saw blood coming out of her eyes, they're blood tears and then I…fainted. I think.))_

_((…I had a nightmare about what I saw and when I opened my eyes, they disappeared but I felt like someone was watching me but when I close my eyes, I see them and I see them and I see them…))_

_((sometimes I feel like gouging my eyes out because I can't sleep, because if I sleep, I see them and I…and if I die **(unclear)**, I will see them forever…when I close my eyes **(laughing nervously)** and right now, right now, they're watching us, _they're watching us_, can you not see them?))_

_((They're watching us, close your eyes and you'll see them, you'll see them, you'll see them… **(laughing manically)** I don't wanna close my eyes ever, but my eyes hurt, but I don't wanna sleep, I don't want to see them but I don't want to…but I- **(cut off)**))_

Yuya felt her hair stand on end as the voice echoed. Goosebumps covered her body as she felt like something **was** watching them. She turned to look at Kyo who was a bit pale and his mouth hung open. She reached out her small hands to tap his mouth close by the jaw, pushing it up close. She giggled nervously. "…don't want flies to get in, do you?"

Kyo gave her a weak smile as he rested his back on the sofa, crossing his hands behind his head as he sighed in relief. "…so…what do you think she was saying about?" he started as he stared at the ceiling above.

Yuya thought for a while and brought her hands to her mouth and thought. She then turned to Kyo with a fake smile and closed her eyes happily. "It surely does have a connection!" she replied happily.

"…I guess though…" Kyo stopped as his mouth fell open as he kept staring at the ceiling.

"Hm? Kyo? What's wrong?" Yuya leaned into him before looking up and gasped.

On the ceiling was a large shadow with visible long black hair hanging loose. It moved. And it moved. And it moved again. Clawing its way across the ceiling, approaching both of them, it twitched its shadowed head like a broken rag doll.

It dropped onto the floor.

And clawed its way to both of them.

And was reaching out its shadowy bony long arms at them.

Yuya grabbed her legs and brought it up on the sofa, hugging it closely to her chest. Kyo only looked at it as it grabbed his leg. Raising his brows in annoyance, Kyo tried to shake it off only to be pulled off the sofa and his back hit the hard floor. He groaned in pain. Yuya could only watch in horror as Kyo was dragged across the room, hitting all the furniture.

Yuya jumped from the sofa and ran chasing Kyo as he was dragged up the stairs. Yuya ran up the stairs as he was still dragged mercilessly by the Shadow Ghost. Yuya nearly stumbled as she reached the second floor. She continued her chase after taking a deep breath. "KYO!" she shouted out as she saw Kyo's body dragged into her room.

"KYO!"

Kyo looked like he was unconscious but she bet he was just trying to lessen the pain by playing dead. She reached her room and stared in horror as the closet in the corner was wide open and the shadow was sitting in it, its legs close to its chest. It brought its eyes to her and stared. Such hauntingly glowing eyes, staring at her. Yuya was mesmerized before she snapped out of it by a voice:

"…_go to Namida Temple…"_

…

Yuya got out of the car as Kyo parked the car in front of the temple. Kyo appeared behind her, holding her shoulders. "Here we are…Namida Temple," he whispered. Yuya shivered.

"Yes, here we are…has your body healed, Kyo?" she asked as she turned around to face him. Kyo gave her his trademarked smirk and shrugged.

"…I dunno, what do you think?"

"…I think…" Yuya was stopped by a noise coming from behind her.

She turned around in surprise to see one of the temple maidens on the ground, holding a broom. She was wearing the maiden clothes, with the red hakama, and her hair was a dark brown. Her complexion was pale and her eyes were hidden behind her bangs.

Yuya stepped up to help her get back on her feet but she halted her action when the maiden rose up her petite hand to stop her. She giggled nervously as she got up. "It's okay…I'm okay, just stay where you are…" she said, voice shook.

She straightened herself up and brushed off the dirt on her hakama and her clothes. She fixed her hair before turning to face the both of them again. She smiled.

"Welcome to Namida Temple."

-

A/N: Hope you all liked it! It was weird and weird. Yup, to my reviewers, I hope you guys enjoyed the bonus thing! Yes, please listen to it while reading this chapter! When I wrote this, I listened to it (yes, I recorded it first and that's why there's a word 'unclear' up there!). Hope you guys liked my -I mean- Mariya's voice! Oh yeah, this is solely to the reviewers who did not get my message the other day: Check my profile and go to my homepage and download that thingy there, you can just ignore the bonus songs… (I'm truly embarrassed about that!). Sorry about the bad pronunciation too, English IS my second language and I'm not so comfortable talking in it! I'm actually more comfortable talking in Japanese to be frank. Ah well, enough about me. I hope you all enjoyed it and review, it's polite! Oh, and by the way…I found the whole cake scene to be utterly stupid and yay, we have a new ghostie (squeals in excitement)!!!


	21. Thankful

A/N: Here's a short note for you all.

This is just a notice since I'm too lazy to well, send you all the same invitation for downloading another bonus. Just go to my blog, okay? It's just to say how thankful I am to be alive for you all. It's because of all of you I managed to well…keep on living just to finish my stories. It's just that…I don't know, we all don't know how long we can live so…yeah, it's just to remind us of how lucky we all are to be alive. To be able to share our lives with someone…yes, we should be thankful about that. We all are so lucky, no?

Hope you all will enjoy it. You know? Before I'll even think of dying or suicide, I want to well, record a song first!!! LOOOOOL. Yes, before that, I will not die!!! Muhahahahahah! Be thankful, you hear me? Even though I'm not qualified to say that since I'm one of those suicide people out there…ahahah, leave it alone. Don't judge.

BTW: Happy belated birthday to InuyashaFan (is that right?) and for your information, that's the day when I got admitted to the hospital, more info on my blog!!!!

It's also my first time actually seeing that I'm pale!

Bye bye! Love you all! Be happy!


	22. Chapter 20

A/N: Hey there! I'm back with another chapter! I'm truthfully not happy with this because there are some parts which I can't convey well due to vocab block. It did turn out long though, but useless to me. I'm really not satisfied with this. I knew I shouldn't have stalled this chapter…urgh! Bad me! Well, I blame it on my hospitalization though because I became clueless. So bad me again! I do hope you people enjoy though. I'm kinda hooked up on Lemonade Tycoon right now…on a different subject…

Dedications: To one of my stuffed animals which have something in them that made me wake up, getting not much sleep at such early hours…leave me alone!!!! And also, to two of my readers, **InuyashaFan** and **Yuyasama**! Happy Belated Birthday!

Reviewers: Yay, yay! Here you go! A sucky but longer chapter! You people are so nice to me!!! I'll try and hold on without getting myself crazy with the pressure!

Disclaimer: Things that don't belong to either me or Tecmo belong to Kamijyo. Things that don't belong to either me or Kamijyo belong to Tecmo. Things that don't belong anywhere in this world used in this story belong to me!!

-

Hour Twenty – Namida Temple

-

The two followed the young maiden stride slowly in front of them, her hakama rustling with each of her movement. Kyo walked casually yet cautiously as they passed several veiled maidens along the way. They looked at him and Yuya through the small opening at their eyes, narrowing. They began to whisper things, indistinguishable things as Yuya passed by. Yuya frowned, narrowing her eyes, bothered. She stopped suddenly and turned to them.

"What the hell is your problem?!" she hissed at them, folding her sleeves, determined to give them a piece of her mind. "Want me to beat you to a pulp?!"

One of the veiled maidens looked at her in the eyes and bowed, deeply. "We are sorry for our rudeness. You just look like-" she was cut off by the other one.

"We are truly sorry for our rudeness. Now, if you please excuse us…" the other one took the first one who spoke by her hands and dragged her away. "You should not say that to her…" they heard her whisper.

The young maiden turned around to face the two adults. She raised her brows at them. "What is wrong?" she inquired.

Kyo was getting annoyed with the formalities in language. "Nothing is wrong…use normal language like you did before, little girl."

Yuya pinched his forearm and he cursed.

The young maiden shook her head slowly, closing her eyes. "Inside the temple, we must talk formally. The aura inside here is not as clean as before…we do not want to _disturb_ the past."

"…what the hell?" Kyo muttered, unaware.

The young maiden gave Kyo a venomous look, giving him a scowl. "Use of that type of language: PROHIBITED."

Yuya giggled lightly as Kyo gave her an annoyed expression. He turned to the young maiden and gave her his most popular smirk, popularized when he starred in the Taiga Drama: Samurai Deeper Kyo. "…alright little girl, we will talk _nice_."

The young maiden smiled innocently. "Alright, let us meet the Shrine Mistress…she was actually expecting your arrival."

This raised both the eyebrows of the older people.

…

A man who was in his twenties walked slowly, pacing in his office as he observed the paperwork he was given. It was disastrous. He immediately creased his brows as he kept staring at the figures. His silver hair, getting longer, was tied into a ponytail, a red ribbon. His blue coat seemed like it was meant for him as he revealed golden eyes. Startlingly golden eyes.

"…this is definitely bad. The company will be torn apart like this…" he said with spite.

His office door received a knock.

"Yes, the door is open."

The door opened and a woman emerged from behind the door. She smiled.

"Shinrei-san."

…

Both of them walked along a dim corridor, lit only by candles. The chilling atmosphere brought Goosebumps to them. Yuya shivered, not because she was cold but because of a whole lot other reason and it's assured, it's not her first time.

"It is a bit chilly, Yuya-san?" the young maiden asked as she stopped to look at the older woman. "Should I get your clothes changed? Our attire keeps us warm, I must tell."

Yuya brought her eyes to Kyo who just rolled his eyes. Yuya turned to the maiden and nodded. "Why not?" she told her. The maiden nodded.

Grabbing her hands, the young maiden led her across the corridor, reaching a T-junction where Yuya remembered she's been to. The sudden Deja-vu frightened Yuya. She yanked her hand away from the little girl's hands, alerting the said name, earning her a questioning look. "What is wrong?"

Yuya stared at her trembling hands, sucking in a deep breath. She turned pale in just a few seconds. She began shivering, feeling more cold than she ever did before. Her teeth chattered.

"Hey."

Yuya whirled around, alarmed at hearing a familiar voice. Her eyes watered in fear.

She sighed in relief.

It was only Kyo, the _now_ Kyo.

He burrowed his eyes into hers. Red against green. Grabbing a hold of her shivering form by the shoulders, he shook her body lightly. He brought his right hand to her face, hovering over her cheekbone before touching her lightly. "Are you alright?" he managed to ask her, his voice quiet.

Yuya's eyes were watering; she managed to stop her shivering. She brought her trembling pale hands to Kyo's hand, bringing it away from her face. She managed a small weak smile, still coated in fear. "I'm fine."

The young maiden frowned worriedly. "Is anything the matter? Should I go and call the Shrine Mistress? Are you feeling nauseated? Are you disturbed by the 'ones-who-stay-in-between'?" she pressed on, worry clear in her words.

"'Ones-who-stay-in-between'?" Kyo repeated. Yuya stared at the girl incredulously.

The girl began to tremble; she brought her hand to her chest and started taking deep breaths. She looked down at her feet. "We should hurry and see the Shrine Mistress. I feel _her_ presence here, and she is not happy."

"I can feel the Maiden of Tears near here; she has awakened from her slumber and is hungry."

'Is it Jade-eyed Woman?' Yuya thought as she reached out for Kyo's hand by instinct. Kyo looked down at her hand as it entwined itself with his.

"Don't worry, I won't let her hurt any of us." he reassured both of them.

Light footsteps were heard, approaching them. Yuya stilled as she squeezed his hand tightly. The footsteps stopped.

"…hey, I'm hungry. Fetch me something, eh? Oi, Maki-chan, did you not hear me?" a squeaky annoyed voice was heard from behind them. It did NOT belong to Jade-eyed.

"…Lady Sumiko, you are awake…" the young maiden known as Maki murmured, rather painfully.

"When is the next full-moon? I can't cry this week for the ceremony; inform the old lady for me, okay?" Sumiko ordered as she folded her arms. As she turned to leave, she was surprised to see the visitors. She brought her hand to her mouth, suppressing a gasp.

"L-Lady Yu-"

"That would be enough, Sumiko. Go back to your quarters and drink a lot of fluids, please. A full-moon will not be joining you for the ceremony, sadly. You have to force yourself…" an older deep voice sounded from their left. All of them turned to face the owner of the voice. It was a woman in her forties, wearing white ceremonial attire with a white hood on her head. Her face did not show her wise age but her heavy-lidded eyes did. Eternal darkness.

"…yes, Mother Seiko, I shall…" Sumiko said through gritted teeth. She retreated back from where she came but not before giving the visitors a curious look.

The woman called Seiko then turned to the visitors, flashing a warm smile and reached out her hand to Yuya. "Yuya-san…right? I am the Shrine Mistress here, Seiko. I see that you are here for more than one reason, right? And also, none of them involves praying for forgiveness…" she trailed off, seeing the shocked looks on both of them.

"Do not worry, it is only the fact that I can 'see', so do not worry, it is quite normal."

None of them talked for a moment but the spell was quickly broken by Maki.

"Uh, let us go to the main hall, shall we?"

…

"We are going to have the 'Crying Ceremony' around this week, our 'Maiden of Tears' is that young girl you saw before, Sumiko, also the youngest in history. Her mother was a 'Maiden of Tears' too, her name is Amari…" Seiko said as she poured tea into two small cups. Finished with pouring, she offered it to her guests. Both Kyo and Yuya took it quietly. They were all sitting on the tatami covered floor, resting their weight on their legs.

"_Is_?" Yuya blurted, surprised. Seiko nodded, herself indulging the tea she made.

"She is still alive although…a bit out of order now…" Seiko said quietly, taking a short sip of the tea. "Ah…this tea is pleasant, Maki, serve this to Amari-san."

Maki nodded, giving a small bow, she left carrying away the tray of tea. Yuya blew away some of the steam coming form her tea and took a long sip of it and coughed due to the warm liquid coming down her digestive tract. This raised an eyebrow from Seiko.

"Do you not like it?" she inquired as she lowered down her own cup of tea to her lap.

Yuya immediately blushed and shook her head frantically. "No! No, it's just that…it's still warm and all…it's very delicious, really. What tealeaves are used?"

"…we did not use any particular tealeaves; it is just grown around our temple, a hybrid of something that I myself am not familiar with, sadly. Maki should know." she explained as she brought the cup to her mouth again, taking a short sip. "And also, take short sips, it will taste better."

Yuya took her advice and took a short sip. Her eyes widened. She was right! It tastes better now. Yuya took another short sip before lowering her cup and smile at the older woman. "Yes, you are right." she turned to Kyo, "Are you not drinking Kyo?"

"Uh, I'm alright, I'll drink it later."

"Is something on your mind?" Seiko questioned, eyeing his movements and facial expression. Kyo avoided her dark pools that are her eyes. He could only see emptiness in them.

"…you're blind, aren't you?" he finally let out. Yuya's eyes widened in shock and turned to look at the older woman who just smiled.

"Yes, I am, but I can 'see' so it does not matter whether or not I have eyes or not."

"I see…so you can guess how many fingers I'm holding up in front of you now?" Kyo challenged as he brought his fist in front of her. he flashed three fingers.

"San."

Kyo hissed and brought up two more fingers. "Now?"

"Go."

Kyo balled up his fist. "How about now?"

"Rei."

"Rei." she repeated.

"Uh, what?" Kyo raised his brow, somehow confused. Yuya was confused too.

"There is a dark presence surrounding us all. One is behind Yuya-san and one is behind you." she stated as she reached out her pale hands as if to touch something. She settled her hands on Kyo head, just remaining there. Kyo tried to shook her away but she stopped his by grabbing a fist full of his hair, halting him. "Do not move for me, young man." she chanted some things and blew Kyo's hair. "That should do it."

"What are you trying to do, old woman?"

"Kyo!"

"Yuya-san, do not talk or that presence will try to get inside you." she ordered her as she released Kyo's hair. She closed her eyes and beckoned Yuya to come closer to Kyo. "Come now, slowly but surely."

Yuya scooted closer to Kyo, leaving only little space between them. Kyo's eyes fell on Yuya's form and widened his eyes when he saw the same shadow hovering above her but it was different, it was a woman now. Yuya was confused when she saw him looking at her intensely. She opened her mouth, "Kyo wha-" but she was cut off by his mouth. He wasn't really kissing her but he did not want to budge at all.

She struggled and was deadly confused. Her eyes asked for help from Seiko but dammit, she was blind! "Mmh!"

"It is okay, Yuya-san. He only tried to prevent you from being possessed by the spirit of the late 'Maiden of Tears'…although, it is a very unconventional way and young man, stay with that pose for a while more, I am going to get something to scare away the spirit…" Seiko got up to her feet and walked away, leaving the two of them.

Awkward silence filled the room. They were still lip-locking and it was getting harder for Yuya to breathe. Kyo noticed this and brought both their bodies on the floor slowly, him being on top of her. He moved away from Yuya but shushed her before she can talk, his breath lingering close to her mouth. Yuya stared at him questioningly, her eyes clearly saying 'what the hell?!'.

Kyo gave her his smirk. "Don't talk, let me."

Yuya nodded.

"I saw a shadow hovering above you before…" he started and stopped when Yuya showed fear in her eyes. This made Kyo turn around, he himself surprised when he saw a large looming shadow above them both. "What the hell?!" he swore as he brought his mouth to Yuya again, to stop her from screaming as the shadow approached their bodies.

He muttered in between their mouths, "Ignore it, ignore it…" he told her.

Yuya was shivering. 'How did I not see that before?!' she thought frantically, disbelieved.

Seiko took that as the right time to appear, bringing a bucket of something with her. "Forgive me, but!" she threw the bucket's inside above them; it was sacred water as the shadow melted immediately. The remaining water fell on both of them, wetting them.

Kyo finally relieved Yuya off of his lips and took a deep breath. Yuya also did the same as she slowly pushed Kyo's body off of her. She turned to face Seiko, her face flushed. "T-thank you…" she managed as she took in short breaths.

"You are welcome…" she stared at both their wet bodies. "You should change your clothes. I will call for the young maidens to tend to both of you."

…

Yuya stared at herself in the mirror. She remembered that she had seen herself looking like this before and this room she was in, it was the Kimono Room in her dream. She sighed to herself before getting out of the room. Closing the sliding door behind her, she came face to face with the ghost she first met in her dream. The one which multiplied into four. Yuya stood still, too scared to move. The spirit passed her, as if she did not see her at all. The spirit's eyes were cast down as she got into the Kimono Room. Yuya turned around to see the spirit fading.

Everything, Yuya decided, was now in monochrome. Like a dream, everything looked old and tattered. She was greeted with an ear-piercing scream coming from the Kimono Room. She was tempted to check but was scared at the same time. She reached out her trembling hands to open the sliding door but was stopped by an annoying voice.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Yuya turned around and was greeted with the new 'Maiden of Tears', Sumiko. She was chewing on a carrot. "Hey, what brings you here?" Yuya asked politely.

Sumiko only shrugged and beckoned her to come closer. "Follow me. Quietly."

Sumiko brought her to a lone corridor, getting darker the more ground they approached. It was also getting chillier to Yuya. They finally stopped in front of a big wooden door and it looked really old. Sumiko gave it a hard push and it creaked open. It was filled with mirrors inside as they stepped in. Sumiko finally turned to Yuya.

"Did you know? A 'Maiden of Tears' have the power to see something she wants to see in anything that reflects and that includes mirrors…including a pool of water and all that. It's just their powers…" she told Yuya, taking a small bite on the carrot.

"So…do you?"

"Of course…but I don't know what I want to see…unlike Lady Yukiyo…and my mother."

"Who IS Lady Yukiyo, if you don't mind me asking…?" Yuya finally asked.

Sumiko just stared at her quietly before beckoning her to follow her again. She pushed one of the older mirrors and it revealed a secret room. They went in and Yuya gasped.

"This is her…looks like you, doesn't she?"

Inside the room was an altar where there stood a statue. It horrified Yuya when it looked exactly like her. It really did look like her and she backed away, collapsing on her butt as she shook in fear when she heard someone crying.

"W-why…?" Yuya stuttered and paused when something caught her eyes.

There were tears coming out from the statue…and something glued her to the spot.

"Meet the legendary 'Maiden of Tears', Lady Yukiyo…otherwise known as Lady Yuya."

-

A/N: Dammit! I forgot to put the things that were in the second bonus here! It was supposed to be in this chapter but I wrote too much crap to even be able to fit it in this!!! ARGHHHH! Now, I'm stressed. That means that I can either write a second part for this chapter or…ugh. Time will tell when the next chapter will be appearing. I gotta tell you, I don't like the computer in which I'm using to write new stories and chapters…ugh, so not inspirational. It could also be because of my lack of sleep…which I hope I won't have again today. Hopefully. Aiyayai…Parents' Meet on Tuesday! Good luck me. R&R, it's polite.


	23. Chapter 21

A/N: Here I am after a long time of not updating anything (I mean Curse)!! Well, tests are over for now, I'm quite happy with it. So far I only failed my A.Maths and my Bio and to my surprise, passed my Chem for the first time for over a year and also Physics! Yayness for me. So, this proves that…concentrating on writing fanfics…_did_ make my studies hindered. Well, whatever, here it is! Oh yeah, there's a flashback here, remember the flashback page-breaker.

Dedications: To the string of bad luck I encountered today, such as my air conditioner breaking down like hell and also to **YuyaSama** for helping me out on the side.

Reviewers: Thank you so much for reviewing this not-so-amazing-compared-to-some-other-people's story. I honor you people so much. I'm only a little girl of sixteen years (same like Yuya-nee…well, she grew up) and you people make me feel old inside…I dunno if that's good.

Disclaimer: Things that don't belong to either me or Tecmo belong to Kamijyo. Things that don't belong to either me or Kamijyo belong to Tecmo. Things that don't belong anywhere in this world used in this story belong to me!!

-

Hour Twenty-One – Sacrifice

-

She backed away, as far as she could, as far away from the statue that was now crying tears of blood. Her body was trembling all over and she was sure her bladder could get…a bit…_disturbed_. She finally got her voice back from the slight _binding_ that caught her voice before and screamed.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!"

"Eh? What's wrong?" Sumiko frowned and approached Yuya's curled up body slowly.

"Don't come near me!!! Don't!" Yuya shouted at her, turned around and dropped on her stomach, trying to crawl away.

"Kyo!!!"

Suddenly, the whole room turned a blurry gray. Crackly sounds filled Yuya's ears and she could feel something crawling in her. She could feel something sharp and clingy in her throat, crawling up. Tears blurred her vision as she could feel something forcing up her throat. She choked… (A/N: My god, I'm sorry to interrupt but…I could _really_ feel something crawling up MY throat and seriously, I suddenly feel nauseous) and vomited, a centipede pooled at where she threw up. Her eyes widened.

"K-Kyo…" she felt like dying just then and there. She could feel the heavy presence on her shoulders. She could feel something wrap around her shaking body.

"…hey, are you okay?" a warm breath tickled her neck and she recognized the voice.

Yuya turned her body around and wrapped her arms around the warm body, sobbing loudly. She buried her face into the man's chest and her eyes widened as her body fell forward and hit the floor with a loud thud.

"…Kyo…?"

Something heavy pinned her body down and she couldn't move. She felt the warm breath on her neck again and she raised her head from the floor, only to look up that she was not in the same room as before. She was somewhere different from where she was. Not the altar, not the temple, she was in the room at the secret house of _Kyo_ in her dreams. She struggled when she noticed that it wasn't Kyo who was pinning her down.

"Get off of me!!" she pleaded, trying to throw off the man on her.

The warm steady breathing stayed at her neck and she was feeling uncomfortable. She whimpered when the man made no move to get off of her. She shook her head as she tried to peel the man off again.

"…Yuya…this is to _save_ you."

Yuya raised her head and stared at the nothingness in front of her. The man was untying her obi! She thrashed about, trying as hard as she can to throw off the man's body.

The man leaned in, his mouth close to her ear. "Shh…it's me, Kyo."

Yuya shook her head immediately, denying the fact or fiction of his words. Large hands rested on her shoulders and gently turned her thrashing form around. Yuya closed her eyes shut, shaking her head violently when rough calloused hands gripped her face.

"Open your eyes."

Yuya didn't want to do so.

"…Yuya…"

She bit her lips, tears betraying her as they fell smoothly down her cheeks…

…but it was quickly wiped away from her.

"…Open you eyes, _please_, look at me."

Yuya slowly opened her eyes. Her eyes were coated with fear, anger and also her tears. Her lips were quivering, her hands at her sides, not really sure if she were to use them to push him away of embrace him. It was Kyo in front of her but at the same time, he was different.

What she saw in front of her now was a man with neat long red hair, with no blood staining his pure white kimono, his eyes not bloody. Shakily, her hands wrapped around his neck and pulled herself close to him, her tears betraying her as they fell down her cheeks and wetting Kyo's kimono. Her head nestling at his shoulder, she tightened her grip.

"…you're still alive…" she whispered.

Kyo held her close, as if that if his grip loosened around her, she would die. Forever be gone from him. Kyo rested his head on hers.

"I've always been alive…" he told her softly.

Yuya only closed her eyes and stared at the darkness overwhelming her. 'It feels safe, being with Kyo…' "…Kyo…take me faraway from here…"

"I can't."

Yuya pulled back from their embrace to look at the man in front of her.

"Why?"

Kyo looked down, avoiding her questioning gaze. He slowly placed his hands on her shoulders. Yuya winced when he added a little bit too much pressure on her, his nails biting into the fabric of her kimono. She tried to wriggle free from his grip but he didn't cave in to let her go.

"…I need to kill you."

Yuya backed away, shocked at his words. Her green eyes deified her by showing her shock, widening as if it would pop out at the mere continual of Kyo's words.

…kill her?

Kyo killing her?

…but why?

"Y-you're just k-kidding…right? K-Kyo?" she giggled nervously and winced at the fact of how bad she is at feigning her emotions.

Her words were proved wrong when Kyo took out his Tenro, unsheathing it. He dared not look at her face as he aimed the tip of the blade at her neck, its tip already puncturing her.

She felt betrayal.

A huge betrayal…and her heart did not take it lightly.

Her heart broke…the one she _loved_…

…he wanted to end her life.

Her tears betrayed her again.

Her tears fell, leaving a silver line of tears down her red cheeks, down her soft skin, passing her red quivering lips and fell down her chin, dropping on her immobile hands. More came down following the trail of betrayal and she can only stare at his form, the way he avoided her gaze…the way his eyes don't want to face her.

She had once thought his red eyes were beautiful…but…

She lowered her head and closed her eyes.

'If this is how it's supposed to be…'

"_THIS DID NOT HAPPEN!!"_

"_KYO DID NO SUCH THING!!"_

"_THIS IS JUST A DREAM!!"_

Yuya snapped out of the daze and looked up to see a shadow holding Kyo's hands. Kyo looked like he was unconscious, his red eyes clouded with white.

Yuya grabbed the tip of the blade and then pulled it down, not caring about the gash it left when it slashed her neck. She winced, but it did not hurt.

This is just a dream…

…just a dream…

…fiction.

-

"…I've got it."

Hishigi looked up from the book he was reading to look up at Fubuki. Hishigi waited for him to tell what he just found out.

Fubuki turned to Hishigi with a grim look on his face and held out the book he was reading out to him. "…I've found another way to appease the Hell Gate without having to sacrifice the remaining maidens."

Hishigi looked at Fubuki intently, as if signaling for him to continue.

"…we only need one person to be sacrificed to appease it. We only need…"

Fubuki stared at him seriously.

"…the body of the Maiden of Tears."

Hishigi's eye widened.

…

"Aha! Kyo, I just found out how to stop the Elders from using Sakuya as the next Shrine Maiden to be sacrificed!" Kyoshiro shouted as he dashed into the room where Kyo was meditating.

Kyo opened his closed eyes and stared at his friend annoyed. "Can't you see I'm meditating?" he growled out.

Kyoshiro only nodded and ran to sit next to him, parading a book under Kyo's nose. "Look at this!"

Kyo snatched it away from him and scanned the book intently.

"We can stop them from using the Shrine Maidens if you kill a thousand people to be sacrificed!!" Kyoshiro told him excitedly.

"…you make it sound as if it is easy to do so considering the next ritual will commence on the next full moon…let's just face it, we can't do anything about it. Plus, if I did the sacrifice during the ceremonies…this wouldn't have happened. I only needed to kill a hundred…"

Kyoshiro slumped against the wall. "…really? We can't do anything?"

"…I know you love Sakuya."

Kyoshiro sighed heavily. "Well, since there's nothing we can do…"

Kyo only stared at his friend and felt that his aura was down. Kyo closed his eyes and thought for a while. 'It's not wrong to do so; to stop this from happening…if only I didn't slack on my job…this wouldn't have happened.'

Kyo opened his eyes and concentrated on his Tenro. He needed guidance. The blade pulsated in his hands, sending waves, answers to his doubts.

Kyo winced at the answers it gave.

**Kill the Maiden of Tears.**

"…kill _her_?" Kyo muttered softly.

Kyoshiro glanced at him, "Kill who?"

Kyo didn't answer him as he got on his feet and brushed off the dirt collected on his _hakama_. He proceeded to leave the room.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"I'm going for a walk."

…

Yuya stared at the porcelain bowl filled with her tears. She muttered some incantations as the pool of tears began to swirl around fast and then jumped out from the bowl and splashed some on her eyes. She was unaffected as she continued to mutter the incantations.

"…show me my future…" she said under her breath.

As the pool of tears swirled around anti-clockwise, Yuya made sure her grip was tight on the bowl, afraid that it might shake too hard and fall off from the altar it was placed on.

The water began to slowly still, showing her a glimpse of herself talking to Kyo.

Yuya watched with interest as she saw Kyo holding her in place and said something to her and how she greatly opposed it. She wondered what could have made her so mad at him.

She saw herself pushing Kyo away, leaving him behind as she walked away.

The water then swirled around again as she asked what is her fate.

She only saw a glimpse of a girl crying tears of blood, holding a body as the water swirled more vigorously, her grip losing its tightness as the porcelain bowl cracked and shattered into pieces, injuring her hands.

Yuya fell back and shivered as her bloody hands had fragments of the bowl impaled on her palms. On of her hands fell on the floor as she steadied herself, adding pressure to it as she balanced her weight, allowing the fragments to tear through more of her skin.

-

"…how long has she been like this?" Kyo questioned as he leaned against the shoji door. Mother Seiko was tending to Yuya's magically formed injuries. This caused Sumiko to scream when she saw a gash forming on Yuya's neck freshly and then to her hands. Kyo only rushed to check on her when he was told that Yuya was unconscious…_again_.

Mother Seiko only stared at Yuya's paling body as she wiped some of the sweat forming on her forehead with a wet cloth. She then withdrew it only to dip it into the basin filled with warm water.

"Hey, I'm talking to you."

"Quiet down, young man. I am trying to 'see' through her dreams…" she said quietly as she wiped Yuya's face.

"…and how do you think you're doing that?"

Mother Seiko ignored him as she concentrated on wiping the sweat that kept on collecting at Yuya's forehead. She frowned. She turned to the basin of water and concentrated on it as she squeezed out the sweat from the cloth. The water trickled down her hands as it dripped to the basin. She then placed the cloth on Yuya's forehead.

Mother Seiko then placed her hands into the basin and murmured some indistinguishable foreign words to Kyo's ears. He frowned when he saw the water in the basin starting to give out steam. The water was boiling.

"Hey, how did you do that?"

Mother Seiko let out a hiss as she pulled out her hands hurriedly out of the basin but was having a hard time to do so when a form of hands made out of the boiling water grabbed her hands, pulling it into the basin again.

"Young man, help me!" she shouted at him as she was struggling.

To Kyo's eyes, her hands were clearly burning from the boiling water. Kyo rushed to her side quickly, helping her to pull out her hands.

He was successful only after he knocked out the basin from the table.

Mother Seiko breathed out unevenly as Kyo grabbed her wrists only to see red, scalded and trembling hands in front of him.

Mother Seiko cried.

"It is too…too dark for me to see…it is too evil to be meddled with…" she whispered as Kyo tore off some of his own borrowed kimono's cloth into makeshift bandages to cover her injured hands with.

"…young man, do not meddle with those-who-stay-in-between…for your own sake…" she advised as Kyo finished tucking the cloth into place.

"…and for the whole world…"

"…and for _her_."

Kyo only narrowed his eyes at her as she buried her face in her injured hands, crying.

"It is too dangerous…too evil…too much filled with hatred…"

"**It is our curse."**

-

Notes of the previous chapter:

**One** – Kyo mentioned he acted in the Taiga drama: Samurai Deeper Kyo. It was a play on SDK itself by saying that Kyo was an actor who acted as himself in the drama and how he popularized his smirk.

**Two** – Mother Seiko said the numbers in Japanese and she mentioned 'Rei' twice. This is because of the play on words by the original FF itself. Rei means zero and also ghost, whereas Yurei, means vengeful ghosts. She said zero and then repeated the 'Rei' again when she 'saw' the ghost.

A/N: I had fun and yet I was confused with this chapter. Oh well, what's done is done. I hope you enjoyed. Please send me feedback because I think that my writing's been awful lately…I'm not improving at all, I'm going backwards instead. R&R, it's polite! BTW, my air-conditioner fixed by itself, a miracle I tell you! BTW, I'm rewriting the lyrics for the theme song; I got help from the ever-so-talented **YuyaSama**! Thanks again for helping me out! I really appreciate it. I'm gonna try and finish the song ASAP since I need to be serious with my studies…


	24. Hiatus, dears

Announcement:

As of this note, I, Miharu (not real name), or known by my friends as Froggy (not that other author, I'm called by that name at school), Katak (frog in malay) or Kaeru-sama or Miharufroggy, will be on a hiatus. I will only update if it is prompted and will not if it isn't. I will not update as happily as I always do because I am very busy and I see that even if I update it is taken for granted. I was actually very, very, very, very, very, very (add more very here) pissed, in a way. I dunno why but I've been under a lot of (insert curse word)-ing and yeah, I chose a bad day to update. I chose a very bad day to update. Seriously. Yeah, and you people are not helping. Pheh, I'm pissed. Well, I actually got a finished note but I left it when I decided to post this up. Well, I'll only update when prompted, I WILL update ANY requested fic except for…**The Black Butterfly**. Yes, any hard ones won't be updated. I'm actually trying to study for O'Levels, so yeah, I won't update unless you guys want me to. Do NOT waste my time. I'm getting a wee bit sickly this year so don't put me under a lot of stress. Don't worry, I'll write still, but won't update as it takes a lot of my time because of restricted internet access. I can still read and review though, via cell phone.

Sorry dears, love

KAERU-SAMA


	25. Chapter 22

A/N: I wanted a longer chapter for this but a funny thing happened when I wrote this chapter. I was alone last night -when I wrote just a few paragraphs- and it was starting to rain, with a bit of thunder here and there BUT before it was raining, I felt a sound coming from –I was in my parents' room- outside the door. It was like someone knocking into the door. I waited. I stared at the door as my heart suddenly felt a bit weird. The door suddenly opened. I was keeping it cool and waited if there was anyone. There was none. I got up and closed the door. It kept opening. I slammed it shut but it kept opening. I repeated the process until I got fed up and looked outside. There was nobody. I immediately locked the door. It then rained. I immediately changed the song to _'Girlfriend'_ loudly and sang changing the lyrics to: _I don't like your haunting! _This is the nth time something weird happened when I update this story. This is one of the reasons why I'm trying to tone the update down other than resting.

Dedication: To the patient reviewers who endured the bitching I did in the note. Well, I think I should be allowed to bitch around; I'm not that nice even though I can say I am one of those that hardly flame other people. I doubt I ever did intentionally. I'm just human. BTW, if I cared about reviews in the first place, is it not logical that I've quitted a LONG, LONG time ago? Ring a bell?

Disclaimer: Things that don't belong to either me or Tecmo belong to Kamijyo. Things that don't belong to either me or Kamijyo belong to Tecmo. Things that don't belong anywhere in this world used in this story belong to me!!

-

Hour Twenty-Two – Reincarnations

-

Hooded green eyes stared into the nothingness presented in front of her. She reached out her pale bony hands, covered in dry blood and grasped at something invisible. Unclenching and clenching her hands, she moved her searching hands frantically, her hands only able to grab hold of air. She did not want to cry. She did not want to cry. She just wanted this nightmare to end.

"K-Kyo…" she whispered nervously as her hands touched a bundle of soft hair under its palms. She soothed the softness and trembled when she picked up the smell of death in the air.

Her nearly hollow eyes bear no more blood. She remembered how painful it was to have those arrows struck into her eyes one by one. How she fell on her knees…and how cruelly those men retrieved the sharp tip from her eyes…how splinters injured her eyes at the same time…how she tried very hard to run away…

How much it pained her. The pain of being slit at her delicate joints, her once flawless skin…how she was thrown at the wall and being hammered against it. She was stuck to the wall with stakes driven into her wrists and how amazing it was that she still lived. How close to hell she was, tortured with curses and prayers, her blood drawn out slowly from her from the cuts on her body…

She was nearly blind. She was already sure she wanted to die. She could not take any more of the pain infused on her body; she could not bear being stared at like a doll on a wall. She did not want to be cherished like a straw doll where they can puncture holes into you as if you were made out of nothing. No flesh, no blood, no soul.

She just wanted to die.

Only now, she could not. She wanted to save both herself and her love.

Her head shot up as her sudden heightened senses alerted her of more people coming into the quiet room. She could feel people surrounding her and his body. She encircled her arms around his head and pulled his body close to hers as she waited for whatever was coming at both of them.

"Tie them up together and throw them into the Hell Gate…sacrifice them!" said one of them. She could hear the rustling of clothes and felt how roughly she was pushed down onto the blood covered floor along with his body. Her hands were pulled back and she could feel the remains of the stakes hammered into her wrists being pulled out of her.

They pulled it out.

She was immediately losing consciousness. There were exposed holes in her wrists and she was dying. She could feel the numbness overwhelming her body as blood left her from the hollow openings. She was dying.

"I cannot believe that that stupid Kyoshiro found out about the sacrifice!"

"…we need to hurry. The _Sea of Souls_ must be appeased before it releases its anger at us all!"

A quick sharp tug at the ropes could barely be felt by her. She was dragged across the floor mercilessly. Unknown to her, she was still conscious as her exposed chest was introduced with more cuts as she was dragged. Her blood left her, painting a path to her own demise.

…if only she…

…if only she didn't…

…if only she didn't meet him…

"Oh! How disastrous! The Hell Gate's _Sea of Souls_ is overwhelming and is forcing it open! We must hurry and throw both their bodies!"

"I don't think we'll be able to make it!"

"It's already too dangerous! Can you not hear the screams and howling?! The _Sea of Souls _is already filled with Darkness! If we force it open- Fubuki-sama! What are you doing?!"

"If we wait any further, it'll become much worst!"

"Fubuki! This is crazy!"

"Hishigi, call for the Ceremony Priests to open the Hell Gate's ropes, we need to hurry and throw them into Hell's Abyss!"

"No!"

"Fine, I'll do it myself!"

"You are crazy!"

"Do you rather the _Sea of Souls_ escape to the world and overwhelm it with Darkness?!"

"The Sacrifice must be willing, we must just pray!"

"Faith does not have anything to do with this! We've come this far! You! Throw them in NOW!"

"Y-yes!"

Her body was limply thrown into a hole. She remembered…no matter how vague it was…the faces of the people who tortured her for their own selfishness…how his body fell at the same speed as hers…

…how she remembered the cold embrace of dark hands around her body…

…how her last tears became blood…

…

"Sendai-sama! The rituals failed, you must run away!" one of the servants shouted as she fell on the floor in a heap of blood. Fresh sword cuts decorated her back.

The master of the Mibu Clan got up from his seat and carried with him the small body of the last of the Five Shrine Maidens, the little girl Ruru. Ruru looked up at him in fear as she hugged her cherished toy to her chest, stopping her tears as screams filled the mansion. Sendai took a secret underground passage only known to him and the rest of the Taishirou, hoping that no one will find out.

However, if one is referring to people, that would not be a problem.

"Sendai-chama! Watch out!" Ruru screamed as a katana slashed the front of Sendai's clothes. Falling back, he released Ruru. Ruru tumbled as she trembled.

"Ruru, hurry and run!" he told her as he desperately tried to unsheathe his own katana. In front of him was a man in bloody ceremonial kimono. Long ruffled dark red hair cascading down his bloody face, his gouged red eyes glowed in the darkness filled passage. Dark shadows loomed over him, hands surrounding his nearly transparent bloody body.

Sendai looked at him in fear.

Ruru turned around and hurriedly scurried with her small feet. Her toy making noise as she ran, she caught the interest of the bloody ghost of a slayer. Not aware of the shadows looming behind her, she kept on running, tears falling from her eyes.

"Ruru, watch out!" Sendai croaked out as a mass of shadow hands covered his body before suffocating him to death.

Ruru stopped and turned around and her eyes widened as the bloody form was now inches away from her face. She screamed and tried to run again but was stopped by the sound of a woman crying.

"…**who manipulate other people for their own benefit…die of my curse…"**

Her eyes widened even more when a woman materialized in front of her in a grainy form. Bloody kimono, disheveled hair, blood tears painting her face…Ruru trembled uncontrollably. When she rose up her head, her gouged out eyes left a deep hole in her eyes and swallowed Ruru's body when Ruru stared at it directly.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!"

-

Kyo undid the ties of his shoes as he sat in front of his front door, a package sitting next to him. He pulled off the shoe from his sore feet and pulled out the black socks, putting it into the shoes. He rose up, taking the house slippers and slipped his feet in. He bent down and picked up the package and proceeded to the kitchen.

In the kitchen, he pulled out a jug of cold water from the refrigerator and grabbed a clean glass from the cupboard. Pouring himself a glass until it was a quarter full, he placed the jug on the counter and leaned into it, bringing the rim of the glass to him mouth before he downed the whole glass in one go.

His eyes stared into space as his fingers thrummed on the table. Once. Twice. Thrice. Kyo looked up, his eyes resting on the small mirror just adjacent to him. His red eyes penetrated the ones that were reflected. He frowned.

"She's awake."

-

Yuya slowly wrote down her notes, scanning through the pictures she found in the Camera Obscura. The pencil tip was nearly dead from overuse. She looked up from the book to the pictures. She was surprised to actually find these pictures she caught from her dreams. Her dreams were becoming more vivid as of late. She was getting a little bothered with the rise and fall of the temperature surrounding her. She dropped the overused pencil accidentally and it fell from her hand and dropped, its tip broken by the impact as it met the floor. With an annoyed sigh, she bent down and reached out to get it.

She stopped.

Her pinwheel necklace dangled freely from her neck as she stopped dead in her action. Her loose blond hair falling down her exposed shoulders.

She watched with interest as the pencil in front of her moved. It rolled from left to right before it suddenly stood erect, the broken tip on the floor. It began to move as if a hand was holding it and was using it to write with.

Yuya's eyes narrowed as the broken tip was replaced with blood ink. The pencil continued to move on its own, writing down something in broken lines. When it stopped, the pencil fell on the floor again and rolled naturally until it stopped in front of the closet, the tip pointing straight at it.

Yuya only looked at it indifferently as she studied the writings done on the floor. She read the words written out with much difficulty.

'**When I sink into a dark reality**

**Where my hand cannot reach yours anymore**

**I want you to kill me with your own hands**

**Without remorse, destroy me'**

"…what…?" Yuya started but she was cut off by the sound of the closet opening with a familiar scrape introduced to her ears. The scraping sounds filled the whole room, like sharp nails literally digging into her ears. Yuya covered her ears as she was again, for the nth time experiencing flashes and a loud ringing in her ears.

"Help me!!" she shouted out for help as she was again being forced to see the dreams of someone else's.

"_If I hadn't met you…"_

"Stop it!!!"

"_I wouldn't have to suffer this way…"_

"No…"

"_How I wish…I could gouge your eyes out…"_

Yuya's body limply fell onto the floor as she felt her healed cuts open again and blood flowed out of it like a river, never stopping. Her blood dyed her blond hair red as she kept on trying to stop her tears, even going to the extreme of actually closing off her tear ducts. Her ribcage slowly raised up and down, muscles contracting and relaxing as blood flow to her brain was cut short. Yuya's vision became blurry as tears layered her eyes as she stared at the closet in front of her.

She smiled.

-

Kyo heard her screaming but he had to just observe her actions, just so that he can actually make out whether or not Yuya was going crazy like Mariya or not. A few weeks ago, after their visit to Namida Temple, Mariya's mother called him. She told him how Mariya kept on repeating a song talking about a _Namida no Miko_, a Maiden of Tears. Kyo paid her a visit and recorded the whole song. It was a song about wanting the maiden to cry more and more and more.

Mariya actually agreed to meet up with him. Her eyes were covered with a cloth and Kyo could see blotches of dry blood at her cheeks. She had been crying tears of blood. She talked quietly and rarely answered his questions about what she sees. She spontaneously told him about the song and how she actually learned how to sing the song. She told him that it was sung to her by a little girl who asked her to play ball with her in her dream.

She told him that if she sings the song, the Maiden of Tears will leave her alone because she's praying for more tears. Mariya actually smiled when asked about how she felt when she sang the song.

"…I feel like I'm going to die…isn't that fun…?" she told him with a laugh. "Soon, I won't have to see what I don't wanna see anymore!"

Right now, Kyo observed Yuya bleeding on the floor, not moving. He took a step forwards but stopped when he heard the same scraping noise Yuya had heard. His eyes scanned round for the source and it came from his room. He glanced at Yuya's body before leaving her to bleed.

-

Yuya could feel her life being drained away from her, as if Death was slowly playing with her soul, pulling her life thread inch by inch, watching her suffer. Her smile was still on her face as she watched the closet.

A doll fell from the closet opening and tumbled onto the floor. It was a Japanese doll her brother had given her when she was small, its skin pale white, and its eyes were made from glass, its body donned with a red kimono. Its hair was jet-black and shiny, as if made from real hair and its lips were painted with blood-red.

It moved.

Craning its neck, it stared at Yuya with dark eyes. Getting on its small carved feet, it walked to Yuya slowly, walking bit by bit. The sound of wood joints cracking filled the quiet room.

The doll finally stopped in front of Yuya and craned its neck again, its black eyes staring into Yuya's eyes. The doll bent down, its hand reached out to Yuya's face.

It slapped her nose.

Yuya blinked.

"Eh…?"

The doll didn't move.

'_You can do it, Yuya-chan!'_

"…nii-sama…?"

'_You're my baby sister!'_

Yuya slowly moved her pale hands and grabbed the doll. Weakly, she sat up and brought the doll to her chest, hugging it.

"…I'm sorry…" she choked out as tears filled her eyes again.

She cried quietly.

-

Kyo turned the knob of his door and pushed the door open. The scraping noise died down and completely left his ears as he stepped into the room. He narrowed his eyes as he saw a shadow in front of his mirror. He cautiously walked into the room, trying to not attract the attention of the shadow. He jumped when his door was immediately slammed from behind him. He turned around to witness the door being locked. He shrugged, trying to stay calm. He knew his heart was beating like mad.

He put on a mask of indifference before he turned around to see the shadow's head facing him.

The shadow pointed to the mirror before it disappeared.

Kyo took hesitant steps, approaching the mirror. He stopped in front of the mirror to stare at…

…nothing.

He waited but there was no change. He could only see himself in the mirror, along with his bed, closet, a hand on his shoulder and also the-

He stared as the hand moved and wrapped around his neck. He still didn't make a move as the hand started to grip his neck, choking him. When he was nearly cut off of his breath, he finally made a move to unwind the hand but the hand stuck to neck like his own skin.

"_Have you seen my arm?"_

Kyo saw a woman dressed like a prostitute in the mirror, her right arm dangling from little flesh that nearly came off and her left arm no where to be seen. Her black hair was tousled, covering her left eye and was floating in the air. Her body was filled with cuts and her neck, her wrists and her ankles were decorated with rope markings.

"…_have you seen my arm?"_

The grip on Kyo's neck became tighter.

"…_you're just like one of them…"_

Kyo's eyes rolled back into his head and he fell on his knees and collapsed in front of the mirror as a piece of shard broke from it.

-

A/N: I don't really like this and I hope it's not too confusing. I'll try and answer any confused questions. There's a new ghost introduced here and she's my favorite! If you skipped the long story above, read it. I was really scared last night. I hope you people liked this and please tell me if something bothers you because I tend to put your needs first. I read all your reviews, what you think bothers you and tried to improve it…did I do it alright? Anyway, R&R&R, it's polite. I'll try and reply those that need replying. Be careful with what you say though, I was 'shot' just today and am losing blood…if you know what I mean…I'm bitching around so careful. BTW, I think Indonesian music suits me well when I write this story…thanks Samsons and Agnes Monica for your songs! No mater how jiwang they are…and btw, I'm a bit sad because my class got raided by thieves and I'm one of the victims who got their money stolen…and I DON'T EVEN HAVE MONTHLY POCKET MONEY! I wanted to buy a new CD…damn. Pray with me that they have bad tummy aches and return my money to me. BTW, if anyone wants to see the Camera Obscura I designed for this story, go to my DA.


	26. Chapter 23

A/N: Here it is but I must warn you people, it's not that good. Seriously. I've been ill and this was done without even thinking of what to do, what to elaborate or anything like that. I decided on less history, more of the present. The content of this chapter does not please me so much. It's just too bland. Oh well, blame everything on global warming! Like the motto of my class: 'Eat a beaver, save a tree'. We're going green! LOL. I just hope you guys understand. And I gotta apologize for last chapter's scene breaker; I got confused and mixed them up! I also apologize for wrong grammar, misspellings and all that.

Dedication: To anyone who deserved this chapter. To trees?

Disclaimer: Things that don't belong to either me or Tecmo belong to Kamijyo. Things that don't belong to either me or Kamijyo belong to Tecmo. Things that don't belong anywhere in this world used in this story belong to me!! Movies mentioned in this chapter do not belong to me.

-

Hour Twenty-Three – Falling

-

If both of us were made from glass

Which would shatter at the first touch?

Is love such a scary thing?

I don't know what love is…

Who was that person?

That man with red hair and eyes

The one who sang to me

The song of the mask

His fingers moved and I listened

That flute made from bamboo

Shattered, injuring him

His blood fell to the ground

…what is 'love'?

-

Thunder struck outside the gloomy house, its light shattering as another joined soon after, creating a chain of unpleasant bells on the inky dark skies. Rain soon joined, pattering like millions of typewriting hands trying to finish an endless essay of the names of the ones who're chosen by Death. To Shiina Yuya, the noise was just merely sound, she stared outside the window, sitting on the bed with her head against the headboard, her back leaning against the huge pillow, her arms cradling a Japanese doll. The white curtains of her room shifted as a draft of wind materialized from the current of the sudden coldness produced by the sudden rise in temperature. She parted her dry lips and hummed, bringing the doll closer to her. The sound of rain echoed in her ears and like a lullaby, swayed her to sleep, her lids closing slowly.

Another chain of thunder accompanied by lightning screamed, illuminating Yuya's sleeping face. The sound of her steady breathing reverberated in her room, along with another foreign sound. The sound of a lullaby steadily resounded, the voice so soft that one had to listen really closely to make out what the words were. Yuya's eyes opened lazily, showing off a deep green shade of her eyes, the pupil dilated very widely, as if in a trance. She sat up on the bed and discarded the Japanese doll on the floor as she edged to the foot of the bed, her feet gracefully landing on the floor. Clumsily, she walked away from her bed, her hands limply hanging at the sides. Her feet seemed to be so light that not even the creak of the floor can be heard as she exited her room. Her feet didn't touch the ground at all, she floated.

A childish giggle filled the room.

…

The sound of a crash awoke Kyo from his light slumber. His eyes opened in surprise and he got off of the sofa he was dozing on and quickly left the study. He made his way to Yuya's room but was stopped by a sudden breeze passing by his neck and the quiet voice giggling softly. He turned his heels and made a turn to look at the bathroom but again, another breeze alerted him and the childish giggles became a laugh. Kyo finally agreed with his conscience to just go downstairs.

Kyo made his way to the stairs and was halted by a tug at his shirt. He turned, narrowing his red eyes at the intrusion. He was met with a little boy possessing the same red eyes as he. His eyes showed pain, loneliness and fear. He looked up at his towering form and frowned. His complexion was pale, the same pale as a ghost would have. Kyo knew the little boy was a spirit especially when he looked down to see no feet touching the ground. His eyes met the boy's again.

"What is it?" he dared ask as his ears were ringing with childish giggles. He winced as the giggles were like a sharp silver knife carving a whole in his ears.

The little boy reached out a small hand, showing his palm. His palm was bleeding from small blisters caused by excessive swordplay. He grimaced when Kyo made a gesture to touch it. He merely shook his head, finally pointing to the stairs. Kyo's eyes followed the boy's finger and lingered there for a while before he looked back.

The boy was gone.

Shrugging, Kyo walked slowly to the stairs. As he descended the steps, his surroundings suddenly turned monochromic and he could hear the sound of bells echoing throughout the household. He could hear humming of prayers and the voices of children singing. As he reached the floor in between the upstairs and downstairs, his eyes fell on the motionless body sprawled on the floor at the foot of the stairs. His eyes widened.

"Yuya!" he frantically called out as he ran down the stairs and hurriedly kneeled next to her. He cradled her seemingly lifeless body in his arms and tried to shake her body to life but to no avail. Her eyes were open, almost dead. Her body was cold and white, just like snow. She was stiff.

Yuya was dead.

"Hehe…" came a soft giggle. The giggle became laughs; the laugh became hysterical, as if laughing at a very funny joke.

A girl with short black hair stood stiffly at the top of the stairs, her hands at her sides, her maiden clothes covered in blood. Her eyes were a dark pool of ink and her smile was of an insane person. Her hands were reached out in front of her and she made the motion of pushing something…or _someone_.

"I pushed her! I pushed her! I pushed her! I pushed IT!" she confessed hysterically as Kyo's eyes darted at the little girl. His eyes were burning with anger towards the girl's evident amusement. His eyes burned even more when the girl clapped her hands happily and danced around. She stopped to look over her shoulder and watched as Kyo got to his feet and made a motion to ascend the stairs.

One…

Two…

Three…four…

Five…six…seven…

The little girl's eyes widened in fear as Kyo's eyes glowed as he grasped his right hand tightly, paling it. A drop of blood fell from his hand onto the floor…

…and materialized into a katana.

Kyo's eyes fell on the sharp blade and back on the girl's form. She trembled in fear and took a step back. She shook her head in fear as Kyo bent down to retrieve his 'blood'. He clutched the _saya_ of the katana hard and he felt a sharp pain on his palm. He concluded that the pain came from blisters he knew he never had. He narrowed his eyes as he took another step towards the girl.

The girl paled instantly and ran upstairs as Kyo continued to ascend the stairs with dark eyes. A dark cloud of hands loomed over Kyo's form and grabbed a hold of Kyo's shoulders and tried to halt his movements. Kyo shook them off with a shrug from his right shoulder and continued with heavy steps upwards. The cloud of hands followed, occasionally trying to stop him.

In his head, only thoughts of killing ran through his mind.

…

Bon stared at the television in front of him, digging through the bowl of popcorn, occasionally popping one of them in his mouth. Keikoku sat with his legs to his chest, wrapping his arms around it, his eyes dazed. Akira just frowned as he cannot see anything but pretended as if he could. Akari leaned into Yukimura's chest, pretending to be scared as the protagonist of the horror movie was shocked with yet another one of those ghost traps in the movie. Their acting was terrible. Sasuke and Kyoshiro yawned.

Kyoshiro picked up the remote and muted the ugly piercing screams as he yawned again. "This stuff sucks…people don't scream like that when they see a ghost."

Akari nodded, withdrawing from Yukimura. "Hm, maybe we should change the DVD? I'm knda bored with this. We've watched this movie five times already and none of the attempts scared us!" he said as he went through the pile of DVDs collected from the seven of them.

"Correction: we've never finished watching it in those five times of watching it. We've watched every ten minutes of the movie before stopping, five times! That makes it fifty minutes of our sweet precious time. Who bought this DVD anyway?" Akira stated as he snatched the bowl of popcorn from Bon.

"Uh…I did…" Bon confessed ashamed. The others shook their heads.

"Next time, bring us shopping with you! With only one good eye, you can never spot a good horror movie!" Yukimura said in a sing-song voice as he downed another cup of sake.

Akira's vein popped, "Uh, what about me?"

"You're blind but you can still sense which horror movies are good!" Kyoshiro told him as he grabbed a handful of the DVDs and read through the summaries. "Well, we have here with us: _'Kakashi', 'One Missed Call', 'Ringu Series Complete Collection', 'Dark Water', 'Cello', 'The Wig', 'Ju-On Series Complete Collection', 'Tegami, 'The Voice', 'The Phone'_…and some other foreign horror movies…that's in Malay."

"Well, who bought those?!"

Keikoku raised his hand. The others shook their heads.

"How do you read this…uh, _'Jan…gan…Panda…ng…Bel…a…kang'_?" Kyoshiro asked, frowning.

Keikoku only looked up to Kyoshiro, "The English for that is _'Don't Look Back'_, heard from someone it was scary."

Akari took some of it from Kyoshiro and read the titles out loud, "What about this _'Ponti…'_-" she was cut off by Keikoku.

"Don't say that…you'll get cursed. You'll get haunted by a ghost that will ask you where its baby is…that's what Miharu told me. All of these movies were recommended by her."

"Is it scary…?" Sasuke asked, curious.

"Sometimes, they say _'Don't Look Back'_ is the scariest movie ever made…I think." Keikoku told them a he scratched his feet. His eyes were dazed yet again.

The others shrugged and glanced at each other. Yukimura got off the sofa and stretched, heading off to the kitchen. "Anyone wants something from the kitchen?" he called out.

"Just some cheese would be nice!" Akari called out back. He frowned as he leaned back into the sofa and sighed. "The rain is getting heavier, hey?" he murmured as he looked out of the window. The others nodded.

Kyoshiro chose a random DVD and popped it into the DVD player. Pressing the play button, he sat back on his sofa, his leg resting on the armrest. He clapped his hand and watched as the menu loaded. He pinpointed the remote to it and selected the play option. The movie started as Sasuke dimmed the lights.

"Woohoo! I can already feel the Goosebumps!" Bon said ecstatically. He nudged Akira as Akira leaned in further to the sofa, clutching a pillow. "Aww! Aki-kun is scared!"

Akira blushed. "I am not scared!" he denied as he threw the pillow at Bon.

"Aww…you ARE scared!" Bon teased more. Akari joined in with giggling and Keikoku only smirked. Sasuke only chuckled. Akira blushed even more.

Yukimura appeared with nothing in his hands. This raised eyebrows. "What?" he questioned, crossing his arms.

"Where are the cheese and other food?" Akari asked, sounding mad. Yukimura backed away, his hands trying to calm him down.

"Well, there's none of the latter so there's no cheese."

"Really? When did we last shop, Keikoku?" Bon turned to the daydreamer. The said man only shrugged as he watched the movie intently.

"Hey, keep it down, there's a ghost behind the woman and I don't want her to know about it and spoil the fun! Shh! The ghost is already close to her!" Kyoshiro bit his nails in anxiety and stared at the television. His pupils dilated more as the television suddenly turned all black.

"Eh?"

-Pause-

"_AAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!"_ the speakers boomed out.

"Yes!" everyone cheered as blood splattered on the wall.

"Finally! Something bloody after that stupid movie!" Kyoshiro happily said as he grabbed the bowl of popcorn and quickly indulged into it. Everyone nodded in agreement.

Yukimura looked at his watch and then looked up at the television again. He tapped his chin with his finger before finally making up his mind. He clapped his hands and scanned the surprised faces of his friends and laughed.

"I think I'll go and see Kyo-san at his house, get some food there and maybe invite him and Yuya-san to watch the movies with us?" he decided, grabbing his raincoat from the coat-hanger. The others only stared after him but didn't say anything. Their eyes fell on the television again and were too immersed in it to actually stop him. Only Sasuke decided to follow him.

…

Shinrei read through the newspaper, his legs crossed as he leaned back into the chair. His golden eyes flashed as he felt a breeze behind him, tickling his neck. He bit his lips as another breeze passed. He could feel Goosebumps even with his thick coat. He brought his eyes to look at the huge mirror given by his uncle and was shocked to see it glowing. He got up from his seat and stared at the mirror, trying not to tear his eyes away from it.

"What the hell is this?" He muttered to himself, approaching the mirror. The mirror glowed brighter the closer he came to it.

He blinked when the glowing suddenly disappeared under his nose. He shook his head, trying to dissipate the aftereffects. He frowned when he touched the mirror. It was warm.

"Hm…that was weird. Oh well, back to work, Shinrei…you got a big meeting tomorrow…" he turned his back to the mirror and made his way to his desk again when something stopped him.

"…_don't look back…"_

"What-" he said and he turned around.

CRASH!

-

A/N: Aiyaa…that was badly done, I know, I warned you guys, didn't I? Let's play a game and I've got good news (maybe)! This story will go on with maybe more than thirty-five chapters. I looked at the whole story and am surprised I lasted that long! It's because of you guys! Yay! Now, for the game: Guess which movies I have not watched (hint: there're two, minus the made up one) and one movie I made up. Just guess, you won't get killed if ya got it wrong! And oh, I'm just wondering a few nights before: what do you guys think of me from my writing? Am I a pessimist? Am I anti-social? Something like that! It'd be interesting for me to actually know what you guys think of me…am I a bitch? Do I bitch a lot in my notes? Yes! MCQ:

Which of these are my favorite subjects?

A) English, Malay and Biology

B) English, Biology and Art

C) English Literature, Chemistry and Additional Mathematics

Yes, I am bored. Anyway, R&R&R! I have to say, if I update any of my stories, it has to be short for now. I'm sure. Time to study, Mi-chan! Oh, do take the hint that _someone_ is not dead yet! I'll _try_ and update Love Doll and then three more during June, okay?


	27. Chapter 24

A/N: Quite short but do forgive me. The first half of the story was written when I was not at all in the mood for writing so it might be a bit uninspiring. I finished this story just as soon as I finished writing **Promise** so they might be in the same vein as the approach or whatever. I dunno how to proceed with this one so I just let the flow of the song I'm listening to guide me. Just as what I always say: the 'alunan' of the music is the one which is moving my hands. 'Alunan' is flow or what the dictionary said is the 'wave'. So yeah…hai, malasku kan tulis in English eh…antam tia eh.

Disclaimer: SDK bukan kepunyaan saya.

-

Hour Twenty-Four – Living a Lie

-

Yukimura turned the knob of the front door of Kyo's house and was surprised to see it open and unlocked. He glanced at his companion who just shrugged. It was raining heavily and both could not wait to get inside but at the same time, they were wary at how thin Kyo's security is. Knowing Kyo, they were sure and had a hunch that they were at the wrong house. Kyo will never let something as crucial as keeping the locks of his doors intact go away like that. They were somehow sure that something has happened at the house where they stand right now.

They went inside.

Inside, they were further surprised by the fact that all the lights were out but considering the very heavy rain and the nature of the thunder and lightning, they just shrugged it off. They looked around and Sasuke was a bit bothered by the heavy feel of darkness weighing on his shoulders…it felt like something was sitting on him. Yukimura on the other hand was trying to lighten up the heavy feel by giggling although everyone who saw him knew that he was not happy with the situation. He was frowning in his smile. His glance traveled from left to right but never straight because he knew -from the horror movies they had just watched- that if you keep your eyes moving, you'll never see the end of your life.

The darkness in the house was just too overwhelming.

To both of them, walking felt like dragging your feet across a field full of corpses that kept on clinging on your feet, trying to make you join them. When they tried to move their arms, it felt like it was a very heavy sin to do so. They atmosphere of the house was too overwhelming. Yukimura felt like puking.

He shook his head and glanced at Sasuke who was behind him. "You know, Sasuke? I bet this feeling is just a rebound from watching too much horror movies…don't you think so?" he laughed out.

Sasuke only nodded. He looked so pale.

"Now…I wonder where those two are at…I hope they both behaved themselves staying together…I _hope_ Kyo behaved _himself_…" Yukimura ended with a whisper before both of them stopped in their tracks.

Their eyes fell on a body on the floor.

Their eyes widened.

"Yuya-san!!" Yukimura exclaimed, running to her dead body. He kneeled down next to her, Sasuke just close by, sending curious glances at Yukimura.

"Do you think she's dead…?" Sasuke blurted out, a frown painting his face as he watched as Yukimura checked her vital signs by the wrist.

"Yuki-"

"Shh! I think she's still alive…if we were a few minutes earlier…" Yukimura sighed, he tried checking again, letting go of her wrist and moved to the neck.

He waited.

Sasuke looked at him expectantly.

Yukimura glanced at him before he took hold of Yuya's neck and parted her mouth with applying a small force on her pale cheeks. He dipped his head low before he locked lips with her and breathed in. After the first breath, he drew back, drawing in more breath before dipping low again to breathe into her again. He laid her head down and applied pressure on her chest, trying to do a proper CPR.

After repeating the action for a couple of minutes, Yukimura finally gave up and sighed sadly. He shook his head and tried to contain his dismay. Sasuke only looked at him worriedly.

"So she's dead now…?"

Yukimura nodded.

"I wanna know what happened to her…where's Kyo-san? Did you hear anything?" Yukimura sat on the floor cross-legged, his eyes scanning around for anything that seemed out of the ordinary.

"I didn't hear anything-"

An earsplitting scream cut through the whole silent household.

It did not sound human at all.

Yukimura got up on his feet, brushing off any dust collected. He looked down at Sasuke and crossed his arms.

"I'm gonna look about. I'm sure Kyo-san's still in the house…even though that scream didn't belong to him…you stay here and look after her…_lifeless_ body."

…

Kyo stared at the dissipating body on the ghost he just 'killed'. It turned into a pile of ashes and melted into the floor. His eyes were a dark red, almost maroon and he took a swing of the long katana wildly. He smirked in satisfaction before turning around to meet with the surprised face of Yukimura.

Yukimura was shocked to see Kyo wielding a long katana. He wondered if he was the one who killed Yuya but it did not look like her body had any sword wounds…coming from such a long katana. He approached him with caution when he noticed that Kyo's eyes were a bit darker than normal.

He sported a carefree smile, as if nothing weird happened between the time intervals. He raised his brow when Kyo raised the katana at him, prompting him to raise his hands in front of him defensively.

"Now, Kyo-san…what have your mother told you about playing with sharp things?" he said lightly.

Kyo only stared at him blankly.

"Put that thing down and let us talk about Yuya-san's condition…" he said slowly to Kyo, taking one step forward.

Kyo raised his brows before narrowing it, signifying his comprehension. His expressions quickly turned to that of anger and loathing and also worry. Yukimura watched with interest as Kyo's face was still contorting, trying to find a suitable emotion to mask whatever he was feeling at the moment. Yukimura decided that Kyo was just confused.

Finally content with the emotion of being lost, Kyo raised his eyes at Yukimura, staring him down with such empty eyes. Yukimura took another step forward, his hands reached outwards.

"…w-where is she…?" he said softly, as if trying to hide his regret. Regret of maybe killing Yuya was what played in Yukimura's mind.

"She's downstairs…with Sasuke…" Yukimura informed him, trying to slowly blend with Kyo's confusion. He tried to get the answer out with his cunning ways of making someone blurt out their secrets.

"Kyo-san…did you know what happened in this house…?" he asked quietly, as if he was comforting a child who did something bad.

Kyo nodded unsure. He released the katana and it met the floor with a loud thud! He collapsed on the floor and covered his head with his hands, sitting in a position which imitates an ape. He shook his head as if he was still contemplating whether or not he himself understood what was happening to him.

Yukimura kneeled next to him, placing his hand on Kyo's back. "Kyo-san…? Are you alright? What happened in this house?"

Kyo shook his head slowly and then more vigorously before he growled in frustration. He stomped his feet on the floor like a little kid who was not given what he wanted. He then fell back on the floor and lied on his back and then smiled…a faraway smile. He then managed to laugh although it sounded a bit _disturbing_.

"Kyo-san…?" Yukimura begun again, trying to coax out any answers from him. Even he felt a little disturbed…it was as if someone was looking at his every move, listening to everything he said and counting his heartbeat.

He then heard a gentle laugh.

…and a scream coming from downstairs.

Sasuke's scream.

He quickly stood up, leaving Kyo and dashed out of the room. His steps were so light as he descended the flight of stairs. He nearly slipped as he stopped in his tracks, his hands falling on the rail of the stairs and gripped hard, trying to balance himself. He was so shocked to see the scene happening at the foot of the stairs.

Yuya was alive and sitting up, reaching out a hand to Sasuke who was backing away from her, trying to kick away her advances. She was frowning at his reactions towards her. Surely, she was not aware that she was dead before this? Surely.

"Sasuke-kun? What's wrong? It's just me…" she tried to convince him, still flailing her hand in front of the scared teenager.

Sasuke only shook his head, not wanting to even acknowledge her.

Yuya's eyes darted to Yukimura who was standing still. "Yukimura-san? Is there something on my face?" she asked innocently.

Yukimura descended the few steps left of the stairs and then collapsed near Yuya and wrapped his arms around her, sighing in relief.

"I thought we lost you, dear…" he said in relief.

"Lost me what…? When did you lose me?" she asked confused. She pushed him away gently and looked at him in the eye worriedly, trying to find answers in his sapphire eyes. She saw none, only relief and confusion.

Something finally hit her.

"Where's Kyo?!" she asked.

"He's…safe, if that's the answer you want from me…" Yukimura told her.

Yuya's eyes strayed upwards, at the ceiling, at the floor above her. She heard the annoying laughter fill the shell of her ears. She heard the scraping sounds. She heard almost every little sound…

…even the voices of Kyo's thoughts.

She stood up abruptly, almost normally, as if she was never dead before this and ran upstairs, allowing anaerobic respiration to happen, leaving the two guests behind, staring at where she was sitting just before.

Sasuke stared blankly at the floor, trying to process what just happened in his brain but his brains seemed to freeze due to witnessing the death of someone he regarded as a big sister…and how he witnessed the way her body jolted upright when he kept on staring at her supposedly dead body. He was shocked beyond imagination.

Yukimura on the other hand was just taking it all in as if it was a normal everyday occurrence, die and then revive just after that, die and revive, die and revive. He was wondering whether he should try that too.

…

Yuya stopped in front of Kyo's room and entered it, surprising the daydreaming Kyo who was on the floor. Kyo's face showed shock as he sat upright in haste, his eyes blinking. He was trying to make sure it was not a dream or an illusion. In front of him was the assumed to be dead girl.

Just as he was understanding the fact, Yuya ran to him and hugged him, causing Kyo to just quickly put that Yuya was still alive and was still able to kill him with a bear-hug. He peeled her off of him slowly; still trying to make sure she was real and was not Yukimura in disguise.

She looked at him relieved and he looked at her confused.

"Yuya…?" he muttered quietly, more to himself.

"What's wrong with all of you people?! It's as if I was supposed to be dead!!" Yuya voiced out frustrated.

'But you're supposed to…I saw you…' "…you were not?" he asked her.

"No, I'm not! I was awake the whole time! Alive, I mean! Breathing too!" she said breathlessly.

"…no."

"Yes!"

"No."

"Yes, yes, yes!!"

"You were dead, I saw you! I saw that girl, she said she pushed you down the stairs and I killed…her with a kata-" he paused and looked around for the katana. It was nowhere to be found.

"…a kata?"

"Katana…it was here a minute ago…" he searched for it but still, there were no traces of the long katana.

Yuya got up on her feet and turned around, exasperated, crossing her arms. "You people must be dreaming! Do you all want me dead…? I wonder…" and she left.

Kyo only stared at her leaving form. 'She IS alive…' he thought, his eyes still searching for the katana. "Was it all just a dream…?"

Unbeknownst to him, _something_ was watching him from above…something which was hanging upside-down and was waving the katana around playfully before vanishing.

A laugh echoed in the room.

-

A/N: Nurul berharap anda semua suka chapter ini. Dia berharap anda semua terus menyokongnya dalam pembikinan (I don't know if this is standard Malay) cerita ini. Sekian. Nurul is not a word, it's a name. Ah, that was fun. Anyway, R&R&R, it's polite. I'm bored and here is a part of one of my short stories compilation: **I Dream of a Ghost**. Forgive me for any mistakes in grammar, spelling and most importantly, tenses. I suck with that.

'_Today, Orange just lied on her dirty bed, in her dirty lonely room. She was given a rag doll by one of the servants, just to lighten up her day and cheer her up. She became lonelier because the doll cannot talk and it was ugly. It was uglier than Orange too. Orange did not complain, however, at least she can share her thoughts with something.' _

Oh yeah, weird happenings on this chapter: Weird clouds in the sky, like a mountain trying to engulf the forest close to my house. Quite weird and thick…my mom said that it looked like it was gonna be a storm or something…


	28. Chapter 25

A/N: Here's one last update from me before I try and study hard for my qualifying exam that are just three weeks away. I'm a bit depressed but also happy at the same time, filled with anxiety about the exams and also the fact that I have a solo (singing performance) for the Japanese Speech Competition!!! Well, I wanted it so yeah but again, I'm not so confident that I can sing alone in front of people…good luck me! The performance will be just after the qualifying ends…practice starts next week? Studying must start NOW. BTW, I'm labeled as one of those 'Students at RISK' so next week there'll be a meeting with the parent thing…egh.

Dedication: To my patient readers and reviewers, those who care enough to do both to encourage me.

Disclaimer: Things that don't belong to either me or Tecmo belong to Kamijyo. Things that don't belong to either me or Kamijyo belong to Tecmo. Things that don't belong anywhere in this world used in this story belong to me!! Movies mentioned in this chapter do not belong to me.

-

Hour Twenty-Five – Relationship with the Dead and the Living

-

Life ends without even knowing that it ended. Life starts without us being aware that we even live. Is that not a contradiction? Why do we have to live like that? Why are we not given a chance to live our life to the fullest? Why must it be taken away from us even when we are not aware that it was taken away from us? Life just starts, some say, and ends like other things end albeit no one is really aware of it. Life ends everywhere even without you knowing…yet you are sad, and you are confused why you feel sad for others who are not breathing anymore, for others you do not even know, for those you think you have no relation to. You feel sad.

Sad without even knowing why, is that not just sad…?

-

Her fingers curled around the small pepper shaker, lifting it up from the table, shaking some of it on her pasta. She could not take it. She just could not take the feeling of being watched, being sheltered. She hated the fact that she was protected, protected from everything. It was as if, to her own point of view of life, that everything existing on this small world was out to get her, body, mind and soul. She just hated that feeling. It makes her feel so small and so useless. So, so useless.

She watched from behind her bangs, she watched her now grown up child eat peacefully, never once looking at her. She was just sad that he had to know about her sad, tragic past. It has been years since her son's father died, since her best friend died…since the clan met its demise. On that fateful day, she had lost a big part of her life and now her past has finally caught up with her. It came back to her, appearing in front of her, slapping her silly before just stabbing her with interest.

_They_ were out to get her.

Out to get her and her one and only son, the only descent of him.

She took a small bite of the food. It tasted bitter. She picked up the salt shaker and added some of it to her food. She took another bite. It tasted even bitter. Her wandering eyes landed on the small cup of sour cream and she reached out for it but her advance was stopped by strong hands softly wrapping it around her hand, fisting it. She looked up at her son with questioning eyes.

"…Shiro?" she asked softly, eyes coming in contact with the other pair of blue.

"Haha-ue…I saw _him_ too. Please tell me that was not who I thought it was," her son eyed her seriously. This matter was something far too complex to be discussed during dinner.

She looked away from her son, breaking eye contact and sighed, withdrawing her hand away from him. She hated how her only sole memory of him did not remind her of him. He only inherited his blue eyes but other than that, he does not pass on as him.

Him, Kyoshiro, her only true love who died tragically years ago.

She was still the same, she kept her long hair the same, her clothes did not change much either, her eyes were also the same but now…it was empty. The only things that really changed were only the addition of a few wrinkles and how thin she became. She was still Sakuya of the Mibu Clan, Sakuya of the Five Shrine Maidens and Sakuya who loved Kyoshiro. She did not change, she was afraid of change. She was afraid of forgetting him but she realizes that he was fading from her memories. Fading into a small patch of deteriorated pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that she cannot solve, no matter how many times she fitted them together.

She was an empty hollow shell after witnessing her memories being broken down in front of her. She remembered how hot it was on the day she ran away, the blue fire burning down the place where she grew up, where her family was brought up in. She remembered how she clutched onto her bleeding womb after Hishigi stabbed her when Fubuki found out about her pregnancy, how her dried tears irritated her face and how she tried to not look back when Kyoshiro…

Sakuya screamed when she felt tears starting to come out of her tear ducts. It _hurts_ to cry, it was just too painful to cry when she remembers her past because she cannot cry. She just cannot cry anymore…

Shiro got up from his chair and rushed to his mother's side, aiding her, trying to stop her from crying. "Haha-ue, you can't cry! Your blood will-" he stopped when he saw fresh crimson blood falling down her pale cheeks.

"…Shiro…please…" Sakuya sobbed out, already feeling the pain of sharp nails in front of her eyelids. 'She's out to get my eyes now…' "Shiro…please leave…_she_ is here!" she pleaded her son as she ran away from the dining table, stumbling as she tried hard to run away from the pursuing presence behind her.

'She is getting closer…' she thought as she closed her face with her shaking hands. She needed to get away, she cannot just die yet. She needed to tell the reincarnation of her best friend about how to end this endless pain, how to stop tears from fading away and turn into blood. She needed to stop this.

Sakuya finally stopped when she could no longer feel the presence pursuing her. She was now out of the house, into the darkness, into the inky black skies that seemed to swallow her small body. She breathed gently, sensing nothing behind her. The pain was still there, nevertheless, she knew it was not yet over.

Still behind her palms, she opened her eyes slowly…

"…**die of my curse…"**

…

"Kyo, where are we going this late?" Yuya impatiently asked, not even the least bit amused that he woke her up in the middle of the night and dragged her out of her room, down the stairs and out of the house and strapped her body to the passenger's seat.

Kyo ignored her, his eyes on the road. It was so unusually dark that night, it was as if all the spirits are loose and covered the moon or maybe they ate the moon because they just could not find cheese in the middle of the night. It was unusually quiet too but he had to go tonight, it was supposed to be a full moon and they could ask about their fate from a diviner or something. This diviner, according to Kyoshiro, was amazingly accurate with her divination although she was a bit odd. She does not even need to see the person to tell their fate, again according to Kyoshiro.

Kyo does not like seeing a diviner but Nozomu did so he usually accompanied him, but Nozomu's diviner died a few days before he himself died. He glanced at the pouting Yuya next to him and smirked. She was just so cute when she pouts. Kyo still did not tell her where they were going but he knew she would not like it when he tells her.

"Kyo! You drag me out of my warm bed and then strapped me here and you don't even wanna tell me where the hell we're going!!" Yuya shouted at him, her face all red from the anger. She crossed her arms, finally ignoring him when he did not even look at her. She looked out of the car and watched the forest outside.

Yuya watched the fast moving trees lazily, trying very hard to ignore her questions that she kept to herself. She stared outside, not noticing the recurring white fabric hanging on the branches of the trees. She finally raised her brows when the white piece of cloth had a black thing hanging from it. She closed her eyes and shook her head. Surely, she must be imagining things.

She opened her eyes again and noticed that the black thing was in fact hair hanging loosely. As the car moved slower than before, the thing she was seeing outside became clearer. She paled instantly when she saw the white _thing_ hanging from the tree solidified into a body, perching on the branch, hair hanging loosely in front of a concealed face.

"Kyo…" she whispered as she saw the thing move from the branch, advancing towards their car. Shakily, her right hand found Kyo's arm and she squeezed it hard when she witnessed the _thing_ hovering and zoomed right past their car.

"AAAAHHH!" Yuya screamed squeezing her eyes shut. She knew she caught a look of that thing's face. It was hideous and bloody. Goosebumps covered her arms.

"Woman, what the hell is wrong with you?! Screaming like that?! I nearly lost balance and we might've rammed into that white thing standing in the middle of the road with its long hair and that…" Kyo trailed off as he looked at the thing he was describing. Kyo was not amused.

The thing approached their car as it came to a halt. The engine of the car slowly died. Kyo looked shocked and frantically tried to start it again but sadly, the engine just would not cave as the thing came closer to the car…and disappeared.

Kyo sighed and turned to Yuya and froze.

In front of him was a very bloody face with big gawking eyes, the smell of rotting flesh filling up his nostrils.

"_Do you know where my child is…?"_

Everything became black.

…

Keikoku could not sleep again that night. He just could not close his eyes. Every time he closes his eyes, he sees a foreign place and he was squatting in front of a hearth, holding a katana and poking the fireplace with it as it burns. His nostrils were filled with the smell of burning flesh but he did not mind. Day by day, the dreams become more vivid and more people came to the room and offered themselves to be burned. He just watched as the bodies jumped into the big fire and how screams filled the room before it quieted down until you can only hear the sound of fire crackling. He never once looked into the hearth…maybe that was why he was so indifferent with the scene.

In those vivid dreams, he was visited by his friends, asking him how he felt, watching people burn to death, becoming ashes. He did not answer them because he did not know how he felt. He just continued to poke the fireplace and watch as the think grey smoke became the faces of the ones who just died. It was his duty and he cannot object.

In those dreams also, he was visited by his real mother although…his mother did not seem to be acting like a mother. She acted more like his lover, always talking about their times together and how he should come home to visit her sometimes. She also had a large belly but she still looked beautiful. He missed her so.

Keikoku remembered how a few weeks ago, Kyo phoned him and asked him where his real mother lived at. He told him he did not remember where. He asked Kyo why he was so interested in meeting with his mother. Kyo did not tell him the reason so he just hung up.

Keikoku could not sleep so he just stayed in his room, sitting on his bed. He wanted to talk with Bontenmaru but he did not want to wake him up. He sighed, finally getting off of the bed and went to the radio, turning it on. It was around that time where horror songs are played through the radio in between listeners telling real horror stories to the DJ. He liked horror stories.

_Dreams are made up of memories_

_That are broken in the past_

_Sewn together with strings of blood_

_Into a patchwork of painless solitude_

He sat back down on his bed as he listened to the soft voice of a woman. It was a beautiful dark piano ballad with the sound of static interference in between. He could feel the strain in her voice, trying hard to not break.

_Strongly hold me_

_Watch me as I break into smaller fragile pieces_

_Watch me as I fall down this dark deep abyss_

_Hear the sound of my bones breaking_

A scream ripped through the silence of the night…before the sound of bones breaking echoed throughout the room.

_Echoing, the grudge filled howls_

_Break the silence of the night_

_The dark shadows follow_

_Swallowing the blood drenched streets_

_Filling the world where I stand in darkness_

Keikoku's eyes wandered around his dark room. His eyes fell upon his big mirror. He could not see the figure materializing behind him.

_Searching through the night for you_

_I am blinded by the strong regret_

_I want you to destroy me with your hands_

_Break the last consciousness I have_

_And bury me in your arms_

"…_I've found you, Hotaru…"_

…

"Uhh…" Yuya finally stirred from her blackout. She could not remember anything other than seeing red eyes. She was still dizzy.

She looked around, noticing that they were still in the middle of the road, the sound of the engine filling her ears. She did not remember why they stopped in the first place. She turned to Kyo and shook his body. He was out cold.

"Shit…" she cursed, resting her head, sighing loudly.

_Crying, fear fills my hollow body_

_I am not scared but I am scared_

_I fear the reality that I am now dead_

_And I cannot hold you anymore_

_And my hands miss your face_

"Eh? When did I turn the radio on…?"

_I am invisible and you do not remember me_

_I go through this pain over and over again_

_My nails wear out after trying to climb up to you_

_But this hole seems to be endless_

Yuya tried to turn the radio off but then she stopped when she noticed the radio was already off. She could feel Goosebumps forming on her arms. A heavy presence weighed on her body.

"Crap…it's _her_ again…"

_I fall deeper and deeper into the darkness_

_More and more into the darkness_

_No light can reach me where I lay_

_Find me and bury me with your love_

_Burn my rotting body into ashes_

_Let me be buried in the sea_

_Where my tears cannot flow anymore_

Yuya shook Kyo's body again before she finally slapped him on the face. He jerked awake, surprising Yuya.

"Eh? Wha-what?" he blurted out, closing his eyes, shaking away his dizziness. He looked at Yuya.

"What is it?"

"Let's hurry and leave this place…_please_."

Without even questioning her, Kyo just drove off, leaving the woman in white behind them and just hurried to get to their destination…

…_in the sea of blood…_

-

A/N: I used a real ghost…finally, a real ghost which exists in this world, a ghost which I fear the most. Egh, I hope I won't be haunted after this, I just can't bear that. I didn't know how to describe it…so uh. Anyway, yes, Sakuya is still alive after all the incidents but uh, I dunno if she's still alive though after what happened up there. I could finally write Yukiyo's thoughts! Isn't it pretty? Please help me out and give me encouragement as I don't have dreams anymore…give me some encouragement to study and live my life without being too pessimistic! R&R&R, it's polite and it fills the hollow hole in my heart because I just noticed how hard it is to write without encouragement…and oh…I get anxiety attacks every now and then because of this site…so I may lay off of it for a while…I'm having one right now, seriously. Oh, and check out the new promo pic for this story on my DA.


	29. Chapter 26

A/N: Reaching 101 pages! Yay! Here's chapter 26! Quite short but I guess it's okay? Filled with the stench of death, this chapter will clarify what will happen to those who are cursed. If you get it, that is. This is just an important transition chapter. Anyway, forgive me for any mistakes and do enjoy the chapter.

Dedications: To me, who's trying to cope with everything that's been thrown at her lately.

Disclaimer: Things that don't belong to either me or Tecmo belong to Kamijyo. Things that don't belong to either me or Kamijyo belong to Tecmo. Things that don't belong anywhere in this world used in this story belong to me!!

-

Hour Twenty-Six – Blinded Women

-

**Darkness…**

Everything was dark. She could not see anything anymore. She could still feel, that she is aware of, but, she just could not imagine being blind. She does know how it feels like being blind before this, whenever she closes her eyes, she could pretend being blind. Not being able to see anything, yet, you could still see the light. This was different in a way. You cannot see anything at all and you cannot remember the face of a person, no matter how hard you try to remember. You just cannot remember anything. Your eyes were a pair of cameras, capturing everything and embedding it into your brain so that you could see. The light reflecting from objects and projected into your eyes, this was how you could see. However, not having the lens, the film and even the light…you are now called blind.

Whenever she tries to touch her eyes, she is afraid.

Nothing is inside it.

**Hollowness…**

It is an empty space which cannot fit anything in it. You remember not the faces of your loved ones, you cannot imagine them anymore, you remember not the looks of the objects you have seen and you cannot even remember your own face.

**Forgetfulness…**

It is hard to believe, let alone imagine that you would lose everything you have ever recorded in your mind just as soon as your eyes are removed from their sockets. Gouged out by a pair of sharp nails, puncturing into the eyeballs, destroying the hard cornea and letting out the membranes…**destroyed**.

You forgot how you had these wonderful eyes.

You scream about, fumbling about for your broken eyeballs, noticing that they are not round anymore and you scream until you forgot how to breathe and that you are still living.

"My eyes…my eyes…"

You mumble about, holding your eyes in your hands, not caring about the blood that kept flowing out of your sockets, flowing down your cheeks like tears, thick, sticky and crimson tears.

You are crying tears of blood, just like your friend.

You try wiping them away but they would not stop. The crimson tears kept flowing down your hollow sockets, never stopping. For just under a minute, your face is now red, as if you have painted it.

Your son is behind you, asking whether or not you are okay. You are afraid to turn around, afraid that he might be frightened at how the once beautiful woman was now…

"Haha-ue, are you okay…? I heard a scream just now…" he murmured, sounding cautious.

You are sitting on the ground, on the grass, in the dark with your face all bloody and the fact that there is blood dripping down your face…you turn around and face your only son.

He screamed.

You collapsed on the ground, the blood still flowing out of you.

'_Am I dying…?'_

…

Mariya could not sleep. She could feel that tonight was the night for everything to end. The cloth covering her eyes were wet, due to the blood she was crying out. Surely, she would die soon. She was just waiting for her time to go. She could feel a tingly sensation behind her eyes, as if something was carving a little hole on her eyes. Her lips were trembling as she tried to smile.

She could hear the sound of bells resounding in her room, echoing in her ears. The sound of prayers slowly become louder and the whole room began to shake. She could hear the voices becoming louder, as if it was surrounding her bed. She wriggled around, trying to sit up but hands, millions and millions of hands halted her movement, suffocating her body. The hands were too heavy. She tried to catch her breath from running away from her but it was forced out of her.

She suddenly felt cold.

The cloth around her eyes was removed and the cold air rushed to greet her warm closed eyes. She tried to open her eyes but it was impossible. The blood has clotted, bringing together her lids to her eyes. The blood acted like very strong glue and she was frustrated. It had been a while since she had seen anything. She at least wanted to see _her_.

"Mariya!"

Mariya reacted to the voice of her mother. Her mother was banging on her door, completely oblivious about the ritual happening in her daughter's room. Mariya wanted to scream to her mother, say her last goodbyes…but it was no use. She was quickly strapped down onto her bed with ropes, around her wrists, her ankles and lastly her neck. The bindings of death, severing the body of the dead before throwing them into the abyss, gouging their eyes out…Mariya knew about this, this was what she had been seeing even when she was awake.

Mariya hissed loudly when the skins of her palms were punctured at the same time by a small knife. It carved its way inside, carving into the flesh, severing the thin veins and broke into the bones. She cried out in pain, wincing as she heard the sounds of her bones breaking.

'This must be what pain really feels like…'

The carvers removed the knives from her hands simultaneously and then started hammering her palms down onto the bed, for what purpose, Mariya did not know. She did however know that it was so painful. To feel the splinters of the wood, sticking to your exposed flesh…she could only imagine.

The bindings on her wrists were removed.

She could not feel her hands anymore.

**Numbness…**

She just fainted when she felt the tips of what felt like a saw starting to be pulled away on the very skin of her ankles.

'_Is death this painful…?'_

…

"Akira, can you go to Namida Temple tonight? Find Seiko-san and tell her to protect the temple…" Kyo ordered him, talking through his cell phone. He glanced around the dark house and growled in frustration.

"And tell that Kyoshiro to come to the diviner's house tonight."

He was too late.

The woman called Sakuya, who was supposed to be the diviner Kyoshiro was talking about, is now lying on her deathbed, and talking to Yuya. The latter woman was crying her eyes out, as if she had a connection to the older woman in front of her. She held her hand tightly, crying and sobbing out nonsense.

Sakuya was still breathing but would not last longer. She was paling fast. The blood overflowing out of her eye-sockets has stopped at least; she was just waiting for her last breath.

When both of them arrived at the house, it was too dark. Kyo knew that it was late at night but there was no light at all. The whole forest seemed to swallow the house in darkness and the moon was nowhere to be seen. It was inky black. To Kyo, he felt blind. Yuya was behind him, scared and pale and tired. She was also cold.

They were standing outside the house, not knowing what to do. To intrude the seemingly deserted house seemed wrong. They just waited.

And then, they saw a figure stumbling out of the house, all weak. The way the figure moved reminded Kyo of a zombie. Hands stretched out, fumbling about for a victim. Kyo approached the figure, ordering Yuya to not move from her spot.

The figure stared at them, in the little light coming from their car; the face was illuminated, just a bit. An outline of a pale face could be seen, with familiar blue eyes glowing in the dark.

"Please…my mother…" he whispered to them.

It turned out to be Sakuya's son, his clothes all bloody. He was shaking all over and he was pale. He told them that Sakuya ordered him to call for their presence…and that's where they are now.

Sakuya told them of the fact that Namida Temple will be filled with negative energy that will swallow the place whole, erasing any traces. Tonight is the night where the moon aligns with three dark stars, eating up, swallowing three people who matters' lives, including hers. She also told them that the only way to stop everything from repeating was to stop the rituals from starting and failing all over again. She said quietly that two brothers will kill each other again. People who do not matter will matter. Those who are not part of this curse will be cursed. The reincarnations, although they are now wholly the reincarnation of the dead, they resemble them. However they are not the same.

"If…_you_, the reincarnation of my dear friend, stayed away from Japan, this would have never happened. The grudge will just stay in that old deteriorating house, the Mibu House of Sacrifices and everything would just stay in place…" she told Yuya who was crying.

"The day when you two met…recoiled the broken film, repeating this whole thing all over again…" she croaked out, voice already becoming hoarse.

She turned to Yuya, even though her eyes are now covered with a cloth, she was staring at her. She reached out a weak hand and placed it on Yuya's tear streaked face. She smiled at her.

"Do not cry…even if the same thing repeats all over again, the ending could be changed. A broken film can be fixed…to be better, at least just by a little. Twist the ending…to a path which satisfies everyone…" she told her, wiping her tears.

Kyo was leaning against the wall, his eyes just staring into space. His arms were crossed. He was thinking about how Sakuya's son looked like Kyoshiro. Not the same but he reminds him of Kyoshiro. He pitied the man, crying his eyes out for a dying woman. Kyo knew he should not judge him as he himself does not know how it feels like to have a mother. His only mother figure was his deceased sister, Uruha, yet he did not cry when she died.

"…remember, you can make a difference, _she_ was pure, a virgin."

Kyo's eyes widened.

"What difference does it make? I'm pure too…" Yuya said before blushing, realizing that she just said that in front of two men.

"That's the difference; maidens are allowed to be pure only."

"I don't get you, tell me further-"

Kyo pulled her away, grabbing her wrist roughly. He turned to Sakuya and bowed.

"Thank you for the tip. I hope you'll find happiness in the afterlife."

Yuya struggled to free herself from his grip. Kyo just tightened his hands even more, earning a gasp of pain from Yuya.

"Kyo, you're hurting me!"

Kyo only dragged her away, passing by a tired and rushing Kyoshiro. Kyoshiro only passed them as if he did not see them, only rushing to enter Sakuya's room. It was as if she matters the world to him.

Kyo ignored him and left the house with Yuya.

-

A/N: I'm dreading the next chapter and I hope I will push it behind a bit. I gotta be mentally and vocabulary-ly prepared for it. Well, it will only come out after the qualifying exams maybe but again, no promises. I'm only updating this because I was bored anyway and I miss writing. Without me begging, review if you'd like to. It won't hurt you. I hope it's not to confusing.


	30. Chapter 27

A/N: it's short, I'm sorry. I didn't do well on my qualifying exams so I didn't get much time on the computer. I backed out of the adult scene I was gonna put in, you get the gist of it…lol. If I were to TRY and put it in, it'll probably be out by…when I'm out of school. Oh well, just enjoy this. I'm sorry for any mistakes in grammar and all that, my English is not perfect.

Disclaimer: Things that don't belong to either me or Tecmo belong to Kamijyo. Things that don't belong to either me or Kamijyo belong to Tecmo. Things that don't belong anywhere in this world used in this story belong to me!!

Reviewers: Thanks so much for the wonderful reviews. They are truly wonderful to read!

-

Hour Twenty-Seven – Innocence

-

Her green eyes stared at the white ceiling and cringed, remembering what the color white represents. Innocence. Purity. Untainted. She knew that it was impossible to redo something you have done even if it was just the night before…now, it was the after. How she wished that she felt something else other than remorse. She did not feel anything at all last night, she felt numb and she could not remember anything but she knew what happened. Every caress of his hands on her body, every kiss he planted on her body, every word he said…she remembers all. Still, she could not help but cry and hold her body with her arms and sob out loud.

She tried to **kill** Kyo last night.

…and she did not know why.

She did not know what had gotten into her but hatred built up in her the moment he entered her. She remembered the painful look he had on his beautiful face the moment she reached out her hands and grasped his neck, gripped it, her nails dug into his skin until blood came out. She was crying but she knew she was smiling. She said something that made his eyes widen in horror but she could not recall what it was she had said. She closed her eyes in pain before staring at her bloody hands.

"I wonder…" she whispered.

"If-"

_**Yuya…**_

Flashes of white blurred her vision. Flashes of red and black and green masked her sight. Voices…voices filled her ears. Familiar voices. The echoes causing her to screw her eyes shut in pain. Voices filled with pain and hatred…voices.

_**I can't see you…**_

Yuya sat upright, wrapping the blanket around her body tightly and left her room in search for the voice…

…the voice that carried the warmth…

She pulled the pinwheel necklace off of her neck and discarded it aside uncaringly as her legs carried her off away to the voice that once lulled her to sleep. She ran as fast as she could along the narrow corridor, the blanket was everywhere, as if she was floating.

_**I want to see you…**_

Her hands slammed on the windowpane and she leaned in close and looked down at the lawn outside. Outside was cold and her breath vaporized on the glass and her eyes watered. There, on the ground, standing tall was the other man she thought was the same as the man who had bedded her…she just realized that they were not the same. He looked up at her with solemn eyes.

Overwhelming in her was the feeling of having betrayed someone.

"I love **both** of you…" she confessed as her tears rolled down her cheeks. Her swollen lips kissed the glass of the window as she closed her eyes.

"…but both are the **same**…" she continued, her voice so low that only she could hear it.

"I feel so…**filthy**."

She unclasped the window open and pushed the hard glass open. The cold wind seemed to scream at her as a strong gush slapped her hard on the face, causing her to look away. Something warm wrapped around her hands but when she looked at them, there was nothing.

_**Come with me…**_

She climbed up the small ledge of the window and peered outside and felt as if the ground was so near to her and if she were to climb down…she would be able to run away from this overwhelming feeling…

She smiled.

She let her legs hang loose in the air as she sat on the ledge, looking down. She smiled and pushed herself forward with her arms.

Waiting for her feet to land on the soft grass…

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!"

She looked up at where the voice came from and was surprised to see the worried face of the other man she loved with all her heart. She looked around her and discovered that she was saved from a deadly fall because of the blanket. She quickly covered her exposed chest embarrassedly from the eyes of her late brother's friend. Now, she realized that she was hanging freely in the air, faraway from the safety of a solid ground, with only Kyo's arms to hold onto.

He narrowed his eyes at her; both his arms were outstretched, veins visible. Sweat was trickling down his face as he tried to pull her up. She was just staring up at him, still dazed. She was worried and hoped that this was all just a dream…

…a very long dream…

"Yuya, reach out for my hand!" he shouted at her, his pale hands still clutching the white blanket.

Yuya's eyes fell on the visible handprints around his neck and she winced. It was real. Her trying to kill him was real. It _did_ happen.

"Don't let _her_ take control of you again!" he shouted again, trying to reach out his left hand to her. His hand flailed wildly when she did not even look at him.

She turned to her hands. They were trembling and the dry blood was still there and flecks of his skin were left in her fingernails. Her pupils dilated as the events from yesterday recurred in front of her.

The way her weak hands struggled hard to break _his_ neck…

The way he looked at _her_ as she kept on choking him…

"These hands that tried to kill you…" she said slowly, her eyes on her hands.

"Why would you want to hold them?" she looked up at him again, her eyes fixed on his.

Kyo stared at her disbelievingly. Here he was, rupturing all the muscles in his arms just to pull her up and she was asking stupid questions?! He was already tired because of last night…he just could not take it anymore.

"I'll tell you if you grab my hand right _now_."

Their eyes met.

Their hands clasped together.

Someone was screaming.

…

Kyo pulled her up the window and immediately covered her exposed body with the blanket, securing it with her hands. His red eyes fell on her bloody hands, reaching out his own and brought the bloody hand close to his face. Yuya was too dazed to even care but still, she looked up at him, her eyes not showing any emotion. Kyo placed his lips on her palm and sighed.

"…you always make me be so…not in character." Kyo looked up to her and smirked. Yuya blushed when he licked her palm.

"Stop being so easy to manipulate, you are stronger than this…according to your brother."

That hit her.

She had _nearly_ forgotten about Nozomu.

The reason why she was here in the first place.

Her brother.

Her _dead_ brother.

She grabbed Kyo's arms and gripped them tightly, causing Kyo to gasp. Looking down at her shaken form, Kyo just stared at her. Yuya's eyes were wide in realization of the fact. She has not visited her brother's grave yet…

…could it fix their problem?

She hoped so.

"Kyo…" she said quietly.

"Hn?"

"I wanna visit nii-sama's grave. I miss him. I wanna see him!" she grasped Kyo's arms tighter, digging into his sleeve, causing Kyo to wince.

Kyo stayed quiet for a while before reluctantly nodding. Yuya smiled, relieved. Surely, if this goes well, both of them might be able to save themselves. Casualties can be avoided when she loses control over herself again. Should she lose it again…

…will Kyo stop her?

…will he kill her?

She looked down at her blood fingers –some of the blood already licked off by Kyo- and wondered again about what happened. If Kyo did not stop her last night…she might have killed him.

'If I killed him last night…' "Kyo…" she hid her eyes behind her bangs and refused to look at him. She bit her lips.

"…I'm sorry if I caused you any pain…"

This caused Kyo to widen his eyes.

"Any…any pain…I'm so sorry."

Kyo reached out his hand.

Yuya hid her face in her hands. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" she repeated, sobbing. The blanket that kept her modesty intact fell down her shoulders, exposing the top of her breasts as she kept moving about.

"I should have never gone to Japan in the first place!"

Kyo's hand intertwined with her delicate hair.

"I'm so-"

Kyo pulled her into his embrace and pressed his lips against hers.

Yuya's eyes widened in shock.

Kyo secured her body against his, pressing their bodies together. His arms wrapped around her small and frail body, cradling her gently. He nuzzled her neck and reassured her, quieting her sobs down. He planted light kisses on the hollow of her neck and silenced her completely.

"…shh, you did nothing wrong."

Yuya did not say anything but just stared at the ceiling above them…

…and closed her eyes.

Wrapping her nimble hands around Kyo's head, she pulled him closer.

"…_love_ me…"

Kyo pulled her body down with his on the floor, not caring about the cold corridor and the open window. Yuya did not care either, allowing Kyo to crush her body.

Nothing else existed in this world other than both of their bodies.

In that moment, only their breaths can be heard.

In that one seemingly eternal moment they have, Yuya can only hear Kyo's and her own breathing and nothing else.

No crying, no screaming…

Just silence.

"I love you…"

-

A/N: …lolness. I did not like how this turned out to be. Just tell me your views on this particular chapter. As much as I hate to admit that I failed my Malay composition, I'm happy to say that I'm ranked third for English in class. Okay, R&R, it's polite. BTW, why don't you guys check out my singing performance on Youtube? The video is called 'Planetarium + Good-bye Days', keywords: otsuka ai planetarium yui goodbye days. I think. If it does not appear, alert me please.


	31. Chapter 28

A/N: Longest chapter to date, last chapter before my exams. Appreciate it, okay? When I wrote this, I was also making a midi for this story too. I'm gonna make the midi for 'Pinano Princess' but I've done two versions of 'Melancholy Prayer' which will be the next chapter's title. This may be a little boring but it's the longest I've done! Enjoy it! Forgive me for any mistakes and grammatical errors, did not check it.

Dedications: to all my loyal reviewers and readers and I see new people joining the bandwagon so welcome! I hope you'll enjoy this and continue on reading!

Disclaimer: As said in the last 27 chapters, I only own the story. The characters and concept belongs to Akimine Kamijyo and Tecmo.

-

Hour Twenty-Eight – Grave

-

The road was rutted and crooked and being nearly blind did not help him. Should the authorities know of his near blindness, he would be stripped off of his license and would have to rely on others and he did not like that thought. Akira made sure he wore his newly acquired spectacles and made his way down the road, which was clearly deserted, as there were no cars passing by for the last forty minutes of his drive. If it were not Kyo's request for him to go to the temple, he would never be out on the road. He was occupied as it is when Keikoku disappeared without a trace. He wondered whether or not Kyo has been informed of the disappearance. Akira shrugged to himself as he came to a corner, nearing his destination, the Namida Temple, and slowed down his car. He was still wary about the fact that the place was deserted considering it to be a temple full of women and was a place of worship.

His car came to a halt when he saw the temple.

"What in the names of…what the hell happened?!" he muttered incredulously when he saw the once beautiful and proud temple ruined.

The main gate was completely destroyed; its pillars broke into two. The whole temple compound was covered in ash, the whole structure collapsed, crushing those who were unlucky in their escape. Charred bodies lay lifeless on the ground; some piling up one another and the stench of burnt flesh lingered around his nostrils. Akira fought the urge to throw up when he approached the ruin. According to his judgment, the fire used must have been so intense to cause such a mass destruction. Examining the condition of the bodies, the fire must have been so hot to kill them in an instant without turning them into ash. He wondered that if he had came here the night before, would he have been caught in the blaze too? He can only ponder on the matter.

When he further examined the debris, he noticed that the bodies and the building were charred but did not turn into ash as it was supposed to, judging from the carbon collected. The whole place felt humid too, and the smell of dead bodies was doubled. Water must have been involved, surely. He scanned the place further and wondered who could have done such mass destruction in just one night?

"There must have been a raid going on, if this whole place was not a registered practice. Should I tell Kyo? But then, he'll know that I didn't come last night…agh! I should have come last night! Oh man…" Akira groaned, kicking some of the burnt down wood.

He made his way to the nearest corpse to inspect further. He kneeled down and held his breath as he turned the body around. He winced when he saw the condition. The eyes of the corpse were missing. Akira traced the deformed face of the unknown maiden, feeling sorry for her.

"You must've been a pretty woman. I'm gonna find those who did this to all of you! Those bastards…attacking at night…have they no shame?" Akira vowed quietly, lowering the body back on the ground.

He looked around the deserted place again. The place was definitely quiet. "I wonder where this Seiko-san is. She must've been the Shrine Mistress. I wonder if I can find her body…" he trailed off when he saw a glimpse of movement around the dead.

A shiver ran through his spine when he thought about zombies. He never liked Resident Evil; he used to scream a lot when the character was grabbed by a zombie who was supposed to be dead. He took out the only weapon he had – a magnifying glass. Okay, it was not a weapon but he can use the power of sunlight and burn the corpse. He knew that much. So, Akira took out the almighty magnifying glass, readying it when he approached the thing.

"I'm not scared of you, I'm not scared of you, I'm not scared of-" he discontinued his chant when he heard a soft moan.

He squealed and dashed towards the –maybe- only life source left. He quickly dug through the rubble in hopes of finding a survivor. When he saw a trace of white underneath the pile, he shoved his arm into the small gaping hole and pulled out a hand and used a little more effort the free the trapped body. What he found caused him to immediately hug the broken body, reassuring her.

"Don't worry, I'll get help, just hold on!" he whispered to her.

The lone survivor was shaking so badly even Kyo would have felt sympathy for her. The remnants of black hair showed him that she escaped the fire but was caught in the collapse. Her face was marred with cuts and splinters on her cheeks. A stray wood fragment stabbed one of her eyes but thankfully the bleeding has stopped. Her arms were clearly broken as were her legs.

Akira took out his cell phone and quick-dialed Kyo's number. While he was waiting, he tended to the poor woman. He did not want to pull out the wood, afraid of causing the bleeding again. He waited patiently for Kyo to pick up when the woman started to shake violently, prompting him to drop his phone on the ground to check up on the woman.

"Are you alright…?" he asked her quietly, gently cradling her body in his arms.

"…t…he…Ot…her…Wor…ld…cros…sed…the…Bar…rier…to…our…wor…ld. Dan…ger…Yu…ki…yo…re…turn…ed…Dark…ness. Des…troyed…tem…ple…released…Mal…ice…" she choked out slowly, barely making sense.

"What…?" his brows knotted into a frown, trying to comprehend what she was saying.

"…te…ars…curse…fa…ding…" she added more with difficulty.

"Tears? Curse fading?" he questioned her.

((Hello? Akira?))

"…Mot…her…Sei…ko…a…hid…den…tome. Ritu…al…must…be…done…" she took a deep breath as she panted hard for air.

"Stay with me! You're the only survivor!" Akira desperately shook her body, trying to keep her alive.

((Akira! What's wrong?! Can you hear me?!))

Akira glanced at his cell phone and debated whether or not he should leave the woman for a second to talk to Kyo. He made up his mind after the woman's breathing became steady again. He turned to his cell phone and brought it to his ears.

"Kyo? Bad news, Namida Temple's destroyed by a huge fire. Only one survivor but she won't last any longer!" Akira said desperately.

((…I thought I asked you to come there last night! What did she say?))

"Uh…something about tears, curse fading, Mother Seiko, hidden tome about a ritual that must be done…something about the Other World coming into our world…Yukiyo and some other more crap. I need an ambulance, Kyo! She's got some wood in her eye! She's bruised and all!"

((All right, we'll go there! Hang on, alright?!))

"Yeah…and please hurry…"

…

The ambulance came and went, the police were interrogating the neighborhood and the firemen were scavenging about for the dead bodies. Kyo ordered the police to not touch any of the things around the temple and Yuya was staring at the lifeless bodies of Mother Seiko and Sumiko, the last Maiden of Tears. They were untouched but died still the same. From the looks of Sumiko, she looked afraid before she died. Well, who was not afraid of dying?

Yuya cradled the young maiden's body in her arms, trying not to cry. She felt sorry for her and in the young maiden's pale hands was a red book. Yuya was afraid to take it from her hands and read it but she needed any evidence to help her avenge the innocent. She hesitantly peeled the book from her stiff fingers.

Yuya glanced around warily as she flipped the book open. Some of the soot managed to blacken the edge of the pages but other than that, everything was still in good condition. Yuya scanned through the first page and frowned when she cannot read some of the words. She gave a pleading look to Kyo who understood and approached her.

He stopped next to her and kneeled down. "What is it?" he questioned as he looked past her shoulder to look at the book.

"I can't read this…" Yuya passed the book to him who took it readily.

After a quick look-through, Kyo turned to her. "This is some old language used in temples, no wonder you can't read it."

Huffing, Yuya folded her arms. "So? Read it then!" she muttered impatiently.

"Hm…let's see…"

'_Years ago, mother went crazy after performing the ritual. It was good that she survived. I was worried that she was going to die. She is my only relative left. Everybody in the temple hates me. They know I am not special like mother.'_

'_Today, Mother Seiko called for me. She told me that I was chosen to be the next Maiden of Tears. I am overjoyed. Nobody is going to bully me anymore.'_

'_Nobody listens to what I say. Nobody looks at me twice. Only Mother Seiko cares. She would soothe me and give me some ribbons. I love ribbons. I collect and cherish them all because it is Mother Seiko's gift.'_

'_I visited mother today. I brought her some tea. She does not remember who I am but I do not care. I told her I was the new Maiden of Tears. She choked me. She screamed out the legendary Yukiyo's name. I was scared.'_

'_Today was the first ritual. I did not cry.'_

'_Everybody hated me because of yesterday. I did not cry.'_

'_Why can I not cry? Why can I not cry? Why can I not cry? Why can I not cry? Why can I not cry? Why can I not cry? Why can I not cry? Why can I not cry? Why can I not cry? Why can I not cry? Why can I not cry? Why can I not cry? Why can I not cry? Why can I not cry? Why can I not cry? Why can I not cry? Why can I not cry? Why can I not cry? Why can I not cry? Why can I not cry? Why can I not cry? WHY CAN I NOT CRY?! WHY CAN I NOT CRY?!!!!!!!'_

'_Nobody wants to help me clean up the library. I found an old diary belonging to the legendary Maiden of Tears. She was the complete opposite of me. She was loved. She loved another man too. The Bringer of Grief, Kyo…that was the name of the man. She wrote that she really loved him but cannot succumb to her own desires to run away. It was her duty to stay. She is so pure. I want to be like her.'_

'_I read more of her diary today. I found more books belonging to her. It was all diaries since she first came to Namida Temple. She lost her family at such an early age. She was so pitiful.'_

'_The second ritual was today. There was just little improvement today. The 'Curse of the Fading Tears' was indeed real. Tears are indeed fading and becoming blood. I want to free Yukiyo-sama's pain. If I can.'_

'_Today, the reincarnation of Yukiyo-sama came to the temple. Just like what Mother Seiko predicted. They were alike except for the hair color. A man named Kyo accompanied her. He was quite handsome and tall. There was something dark following both of them but I could not see anything.'_

'_I cannot cry yet again. Everyone is disappointed in me. They kept throwing insults at me. All I could do was look at my own feet because I cannot cry. I need help. I want to be like her, like the legendary Maiden. I want to ask for her help. I need to break that spell done by that monk and release her from that blasted mansion and help her regain her other half. I just need to.'_

'_I stole the Forbidden Ritual tome from Mother Seiko's chambers. It indeed had the solutions I need to summon her. I only need to use my own blood. No need for tears. I will do this ritual tomorrow.'_

'_Today…I summoned Yukiyo-sama. She will help me.'_

The whole world seemed to be silenced by the revelation. The legendary Maiden of Tears, Yukiyo, is summoned to the living world. Yuya could not believe that Sumiko would do such a thing and Kyo looked like he was about to rip the book apart. The ghost both of them fear might even be here, right now. The deadly dark jade-eyes of hers are now overlooking their very souls. She is now walking amongst the living.

"…she summoned _her_?" Yuya said quietly to herself.

Kyo just stared at the diary belonging to Sumiko. 'If everything written in this diary was true, then Yukiyo must be amongst these corpses if she did not manage to escape…but maybe, she was the reason why the fire started in the first place…but she does not possess the element of fire.'

"Kyo, she's alive?!" Yuya frantically said, going hysterical. The ghost was hard as it is to banish but to have it having a nearly solid body?! She must be the hardest one to send off!

"I have a hunch, just a hunch that she did not do all this destruction by herself…she must have had some help," Kyo told her, propping his chin with his fingers.

"Help?" she repeated, "Who would want to help a ghost kill people?!"

"Obviously, another ghost."

"But what?!"

Kyo glared at her. "I don't know yet! I may be handsome, good in bed and intelligent, I don't have a Super Brain that can figure out everything by just holding a goddamn diary!" he said frustrated.

Yuya tried to hide her blush. She agreed that he was all of what he listed himself out to be. He was surprisingly good in bed, which was true. 'He was gentle too…' she blushed heavier as she reminded herself.

"Excuse me?" said a gruff foreign voice that turned out to be one of the police who worked at the site.

Both of them turned around to face the plump elderly man. He was holding a clipboard with a pink pen. He was wrinkling his nose as he waited for a reply, something he obviously thinks will improve his look but made his look like an overfed mouse instead.

"Yes…?" Kyo drawled out.

He raised his brows at Kyo but shrugged it away. He flipped some of the paper before turning to them again.

"Well, you two seem to know a lot about this place. Care to help us out? It's a mass killing you know? Genocide. Never really happened at the outskirts before…other than that one case from back…you know, the whole Mibu Clan being wiped out in just one night? No survivors, I heard. I heard it was done by a ghost…" he ended with a snigger.

This raised Kyo's eyebrows.

"Hm, it turns out that I'm one of the supposedly dead Mibu…" Kyo muttered. This caught the policeman's attention.

"You are?"

"I was talking to myself."

"…oh. Anyway, help us out?" he asked them again.

Yuya looked at Kyo to ask for his permission but then thought about the whole thing again. She did not really know of this place. They just came here a few days ago. She decided that it was best to just tell the truth.

"Sorry, officer. I don't know much about this place; I just visited here a few days ago to visit the Shrine Mistress. That's her…there…" she pointed to Mother Seiko's body and winced, "So I'm mourning for her. She was a nice and wise woman."

The elder man bowed slightly, acknowledging her loss. He then turned again to Kyo to ask him more but Kyo just shrugged. The officer sighed.

"Okay, since you don't know anything, you can leave. Oh, don't worry young man, I'll leave the place untouched. If you guys have any ideas who did this, do inform us so we can start our investigation soon…" he gave them a quick nod before leaving.

"Wait."

"Hm?"

Kyo smirked at him as he folded his arms. "We may have a hunch about who did this…though you may not believe it."

The man just stared at him blankly.

"…it was a ghost."

…

Kyo grumbled all day on the journey back from the temple. His face was red from embarrassment and anger and Yuya just cannot help herself from laughing out loud. When Kyo told the officer about the ghost thing, the officer broke down laughing and crying. Yuya still cannot let the image of Kyo's ears becoming red disappear from her eyes and she laughed even further when she saw how Kyo tried to suppress his anger and stomped away only to trip on one of the fallen pillars and landing on one of the random corpses. It was a really interesting event.

"Oh, will you come off it?! It's not even funny! I landed on a smelly dead body that's uglier than you! She was better endowed though…" Kyo added to fuel her anger.

Yuya only laughed more. "Whatever Kyo, you tripped and landed on a corpse! Oh wait, you kissed her goodbye!"

"You evil bitch…" Kyo muttered venomously.

"So…all jokes aside…when are we going to visit nii-sama's grave?" she asked him as she turned on the radio.

Kyo just stared at the road as he stopped near a junction to give way to a truck carrying logs. The car moved again and not long after that, they reached a beautiful hill with lots of greens. He stopped the car near a big oak tree and got out soon after, leaving Yuya in the car.

"Get out, we're here."

"We are?" she asked disbelievingly as her eyes blinked.

Kyo opened her door and led her out of the car. Yuya fixed the white dress she was wearing, straightening the creases before fixing the straps holding it in place. She looked around amazed at the freshness of the place. It was a peaceful place, a place she was sure Nozomu cherished when he was still a photographer. She could imagine taking photos frame by frame just by turning around and will get something of heavenly value.

"This is where nii-sama's buried…?" she trailed off as she felt tears wanting to spill out.

She wiped her tears immediately before turning to face Kyo. She gave him a genuine smile before taking his large hands in her small ones. She led him to an opening and kissed him on the cheek.

"I'm sure you're the one who chose to bury him here…a place which he cherishes the most."

Kyo gave her a small smile and a lazy look. He nodded and pulled her towards him in an embrace, which lingered for a while. Yuya held him too, holding him close and closed her eyes in content. Kyo promised her happiness and she promised him his. Being together will surely save both of them.

Kyo pushed her away gently and gazed into her eyes before kissing her forehead. "Come, let's go find his grave. It's just around here."

He held her hand tightly and led her to another opening but Yuya stopped to fetch a fistful of dandelions. Kyo raised an eyebrow at her.

"It's nii-sama's favorites. It might be a bit childish but…they carry sentimental value."

Kyo did not question her further.

…

Red and green eyes widened disbelievingly at the scene in front of them. Yuya gave a strangled cry as she ran forward, unclasping her hand from Kyo's. She dashed and fell down in a heap. Kyo only stared, his mouth gaping wide open.

Nozomu's grave was exposed.

Yuya cried loudly when she cannot find her dear brother's body. She hugged the tombstone close to her, sobbing. Her hand was still clutching the dandelions and it was all ruined.

"Who could've done such a thing to him?!" she cried out.

Kyo inspected the deserted hole and found no traces of some stray mountain dogs or a bear digging for food. It must have been a human being but there were neither footprints nor traces of the land being trudged by anyone. Kyo was confused.

Kyo walked over to Yuya and held her close, reassuring her. He was also a bit depressed by the fact that his friend's grave has been trespassed on. He made sure no one could find the location and made sure he dug very deep so that no animal can trace the smell of rotting flesh.

Then, it hit him.

And it hit him hard.

"…Kyo…who could have done such a thing…?" she asked him again, suppressing the sobs.

"…no, the question is _what_ could have done such a thing?"

Yuya's face immediately shocked shock.

"You can't possibly be referring to _her_…right?"

"If she can burn a whole temple in just a night, what can she not do?"

Yuya bit her lips. She was frowning at the thought. "Evil bitch…" she hissed.

"Well, we can't do anything. I can't tell the authorities of a corpse's disappearance when it wasn't buried at a real graveyard. They'd kill me straightaway." Kyo circled the empty grave and tried to find more clues.

He was a bit stumped. Why would Yukiyo need Nozomu's body? What would she do to it…should she really be alive? What was she planning?

"Kyo…"

Kyo glanced over his shoulder to look at her. She was trying to dig something out from the corner of the tombstone. Kyo walked over to her and kneeled down.

"What are you doing?"

"I saw something here, it's shiny…" Yuya said quickly as she continued to dig.

Kyo stopped her. "You'll ruin your fingers. There's nothing there, I was the one who buried him, remember?" he reminded her.

"I'm sure there's something here, Kyo! What if it could help us locate him?!" she protested, yanking her hand from his hold and continued to dig.

Kyo just watched her helplessly.

"Ah…" Yuya's fingers brushed against something and she clawed her fingers through before it really connected to a chain.

Yuya pulled it out and gasped in shock.

It was her pinwheel necklace.

-

Yuya was walking along a dark corridor, holding a kitten in her small hands. The kitten mewed weakly as it panted. Yuya tried to stop herself from crying. Only her brother can help her help the kitten. She was a weak girl who can only do little. She was seven and she did not know who to run to. Only nii-sama was there for her.

The corridor seemed to be endless. The darkness was consuming her slowly and she could not feel the floor anymore. The small cat was getting weaker. She was losing it.

Yuya turned to another corner and found herself at the same spot as before. The cat was dying and she did not know what to do. She fell down on her knees and started crying, holding the kitten close to her.

"Don't die…don't die…" she pleaded the small animal. The kitten gave her a reassuring lick on her cheek as she brought it close, licking away the tears.

"Nii-sama…" she mumbled.

"Yuya?"

"Nii-sama?" she looked around for her brother.

"Yuya, wake up!"

…

Yuya bolted up awake and in her brother's arms. She was holding onto him, scared. She gripped his shirt and cried on his chest. Nozomu sighed and smirked. He soothed her by singing a lullaby but it irked Yuya even more.

"Eww! You can't sing so stop singing! You're ruining my ears!" she pushed him away and wiped her tears and pouted.

Nozomu smiled at her and pulled her head to him, kissing her on her forehead before ruffling her hair. He then grinned like crazy before pulling the blanket over her.

"Wake up, I cooked your favorites today…"

…

Nozomu lighted the candles on his little sister's birthday cake. Once everything was ready, he untied the blindfold from his sister's eyes and surprised her with the cake. It was a very beautiful cake, which he made himself. He slaved just to make the chocolate cake. He even took baking lessons just to make sure she knew how much she meant to him.

"Thank you! It's beautiful!" she exclaimed happily, giving him a hug.

"You're twelve today so I guess I should give you something special…" he trailed off and Yuya did not miss the faraway look in his eyes even though it was just for a second.

He took out a small wrapped up box and gave it to her. She took it readily and unwrapped the present, taking out a beautiful necklace with a pinwheel-shaped pendant dangling freely. It was clear that it was custom-made just for her because it really reflected her.

"Thanks!" she gratefully said to him.

In spite of this, Nozomu had a grim look on him as he took the necklace away and dangled it in front of her. Yuya stared at him questioningly, anticipating what he had to say just because he sported a grim look on his face.

"Yuya…" he said slowly, "…I have to tell you this. We are special people with the power of seeing what most other people can't…yet this is a dangerous ability. You've seen shadows before right? You had bad dreams frequently, right? That's the sign that you are gifted."

Yuya had a what-the-hell-are-you-talking-about look sported on her face now. Nozomu gave a small smile.

"Anyway, always wear this necklace. To protect you from harm those shadows can cause upon you…if you always have this around your neck…I can hear you no matter where you are…"

…

The phone rang noisily amongst the heavy rain. It was so cold when it rains and the air was humid too. Yuya put on a white shirt before striding over to the phone. She grabbed the receiver and brought it to her ear. Still sleepy, she barely understood what the man on the other line said:

((Shiina Yuya?))

"Ah…?"

((I'm sorry to inform you of this matter but your brother, Shiina Nozomu was involved in a car accident and could not be saved, he died last week…))

Everything crumbled just like that.

Her only reason to life just died.

She could only fall on her knees and cry, just like when she was seven.

-

Yuya cradled the last present her beloved brother gave to her close to her chest. Her eyes watered and it touched a part of Kyo. He was also so sad when Uraha died. It has been a long time since he visited her grave too. He believed that no one from the family would visit her. She was, after all, the weird girl who loves to play the piano everyday even when she was weak on her deathbed. Kyo learned how to play the piano from her and played her his very first composition, 'Pinano Princess', for her whenever he had the time during her sickly times. Uraha's piano was named Pinano.

"…Yuya?" he finally spoke.

"…he can hear me…" she mumbled.

"What?"

"…if I call for him, he'll come…" she mumbled again.

Kyo narrowed his eyes at her. He does not want to slap her but if she were to be possessed again, he would not think twice of actually shoving her into the hole and bury her straightaway. That is not a joke.

"Nii-sama…" she whispered.

Kyo leaned in to look at her. She was staring at the hole in front of her. Kyo made sure to hold her shoulders just in case she decided to jump into the hole herself.

"…I'm in trouble, come here…nii-sama."

"Yuya, whatever it is, it won't work, and he's dead-"

Yuya shook her head violently, hands still clasping on the necklace. She looked up to the skies as droplets of rain began to fall. She reached out her hands before collapsing on the ground, her white dress covered in mud as rain began to fall heavier on both of them.

Kyo shielded her body from the rain as he looked around for shelter. He stopped his search when he saw a glimpse of a pale woman behind the trunk of the old tree. Kyo knew very well who the owner of those somber green eyes and dark brown hair.

Yukiyo was smiling manically at him, holding out a silver necklace with a star-shaped pendant dangling around freely.

It was Nozomu's necklace.

"You…" Kyo hissed before looking down at Yuya.

"…he's here, I can feel him…" she murmured happily, smiling.

Kyo looked up again to see that Yukiyo disappeared, leaving a bloody necklace on the ground…

-

A/N: Eee! 10 pages! A goal reached! Although goal was 5000 but eh…4700++ is okay to me! Throughout this chapter, I was listening to the happy version of 'Melancholy Prayer', which my sister prefers but I find it making me dizzy…Yukiyo's work, I guess. Last night, it rained. The deadly version of 'Melancholy Prayer' sounds empty and I see Kyo killing Yuya with a smile when I listen to this…haha. Don't forget to review this quite long chapter and btw, another present…will be soon but not now, you may check my blog though just in case! Go to my blog as usual and download the two versions! Won't be heavy, don't worry. It's midi. See you after exams! (This is on the Nov 21) LOL, I reached 5000 because of the notes…


	32. Chapter 29

A/N: Here's the twenty-ninth chapter of this long story! I never thought I'd actually write this long…well, blame the creative juices! A simple story evolved into one which is quite complicated! Even for my brains! I'm actually suffering from writer's block if you read my profile. For those who are waiting for the next chapter of my latest story, it'll come sometime; I'm quite stuck on that one. Anyway, it's divided into two parts, enjoy. Any questions would be answered next chapter OR if you have MSN, add me and I'll chat with you guys about it.

Disclaimer: I actually find this fun. Things that don't belong to either me or Tecmo belong to Kamijyo. Things that don't belong to either me or Kamijyo belong to Tecmo. Things that don't belong anywhere in this world used in this story belong to me!!

Reviewers: Thanks for all the reviews! I hope you guys will keep up with this story! The end would be…still far.

-

Hour Twenty-Nine – The Melancholy Prayer: Part One

-

"Get into the basket, count until five…"

The woman clothed in white looked up from the book she was reading. Her pale complexion was accentuated with her brunette hair, her lips were a pale pink and her dark brown eyes looked tired. She continued to stare at her daughter who was singing the Mibu lullaby. She frowned listening to the haunting voice of her daughter.

"If you dare make a move, you will die…" her light and happy voice echoed throughout the household.

The plucking sound coming from the koto she played added a rough mystical melody, contrasting. The innocent melody became harsher as she continued to sing the lullaby. She hummed the song quietly to herself and clicked her tongue.

Closing the book after marking the page, she raised her hands up high before slamming it on the wooden floor. This action made the young girl jump, her fingers recoiling from the strings. She looked up to the older woman, her eyes watering.

"…are you angry, mother?" her doe-like brown eyes stared at her pleadingly.

The older woman sighed, standing up from her position and approached the younger girl. Kneeling next to her, she wrapped her arms around the child. Kissing her head, she glanced at the koto.

"…my dear Hotaru, please, do not sing that song ever again."

Hotaru turned to stare at the koto too. She wondered why her mother would forbid her from singing the lullaby her big brother taught her. It was a nice song, after all…albeit a bit scary at times.

"Mother, I was just thinking of Keikoku-kun. He didn't visit us yesterday."

The lonely mother shrugged. She stroked the strands on her sole daughter's head. It was true though, her eldest had never missed out on the opportunity to visit them. Always, whenever he visited, he would knock thrice and whistled. And then, when they greeted him, he would be squatting over a small caterpillar, poking it with a stick or forcing an apple onto it. He inherited everything from his father.

Well, _almost_ everything.

Keikoku does not remember anything about the Mibu. If the real Hotaru was reincarnated then he would have remembered…wait, who was she kidding? This was Hotaru, remember? Hotaru, the man she fell in love with even if they met only for the sake of reproducing a descent. She knew from the start, when Yuan-sama brought her to the Mibu Main House, that the child she was to bear for Hotaru would be sacrificed in the future. Even with her reluctance, Hotaru eased her into her role by being friends with her.

He was the only friend who ever wished to be with her.

Even if he was not that good with talking with women and making sure they do not end up decapitating him, he was a good and kind man. He loved animals and being with them took up most of his time. She would always be the good friend who would help him find some fruits to feed the worms with…even if he ended up squishing them.

She gave a small, faraway laugh.

They became close acquaintances before Hotaru ended up sleeping with her. She did not mind at all. It was Hotaru, after all. Even after getting her pregnant, he still kept her company even without making any formal promises of being together forever. They were happy together, even though the time was short.

They shared a bond deeper than anything.

So, even though she had another child with another man, she gave the little girl her only love's name. She knew, even if it was not possible, that somewhere out there, the Mibu was still alive, hungry for blood.

The child she bore with Hotaru was given away to a family so that the cruel Mibu would never ever find him and hurt him. Even though she saw the destruction with her own eyes, she could still feel her own Mibu blood calling out to her. The life of her child could be in danger. Not having any news from him for a while made her feel very **scared**.

"Keikoku…I pray that you are fine, my son."

…

"Keikoku disappeared? Why didn't you guys tell me?" Kyo said crossly, eyes narrowed.

Akira cowered behind Bon who cowered behind Akari who cowered behind Yukimura who held Sasuke's arm in a death grip. Their belief was that if they were to face Kyo's wrath, let it be faced by all. Yes, that was the magnificent plan.

Yuya sat quietly, reading a book Kyo translated into English. Dangling from her neck were the two necklaces belonging to her and her deceased brother. She did not want to be involved in any way at all. She was too preoccupied with her own problems to be worrying about other things. Touching the star pendant, she sighed.

She got up from the sofa, turning to leave, "Kyo, I'm going upstairs."

Akari gasped and rushed to block her way before she could take a step. Yuya looked up to the older transvestite and frowned.

"Girl, if Kyo's gonna kill us, we need a witness!" Akari said frantically.

Yuya huffed. "Okay, I'll be the witness."

Grabbing her small hands in his own hands, Akari screamed gleefully. "Thank you!!!"

Yuya took her seat again and flipped the book open again. Apparently, researching about curses was not like a trip down the park. After going through some books in foreign language with no luck, Kyo finally gave her a book he translated himself to help out. His thesis on folklore proved to be quite helpful in decoding the old Japanese that she sees as 'foreign'. So far, she found out the reason why folklore was fun to research, if was because they were quite true. Kyo told her that his friend who studied folklore with him could not be reached.

From what she could pick up from the jumbled information, old traditions in Japan dealt with a lot of blood and sacrifices. In the early 80s, the traditions lessened in frequency yet there are some places high upon the hills, inside thick forests that kept up with sacrificing. Done yearly to improve poor harvests, to ease the frequency of earthquakes and to cause the volcanoes to fall into deep sleep…the number of sacrifices reach thousands just in a year. With the coming of a more modernized Japan, the government abolished some religions that involve sacrifices. Some Protestants however, still believed that the only way to appease the wrath of a god was to spill blood. Shinto however, apparently dislikes the idea of blood being spilt to the ground. Blood is considered unholy so those who use sacrifice in their worship are clearly deviants. Those who believe in sending off the souls via burning are also considered as corrupted because the sending off of souls is by water.

Yuya knew, that the Mibu were definitely not any branch of Shinto. They must have worshipped some other things that required such atrocious ways of sacrifice. The first ritual involved the burning of bodies and the second involved water and such. The Mibu were playing with elements. Elements represent the world. In between the elements come the sky, the Heavens, and then come the dark underground, the Hells. Since the rituals are done not outside the open, there must be something they hid in the castle-like mansion. If they did not worship the Heavens, they must have worshipped the Hells.

It finally dawned to her that they worshipped the darkness. No wonder they needed a lot of blood! Yes, that was the whole explanation! The must have hidden a passage to Hell or something. That was why they did years of sacrifice. She needed a book about Hell Worshippers then.

"-he just **disappeared**, Kyo."

"I still don't get why you guys didn't tell me earlier!" Kyo growled.

"Well-"

Yuya got up and walked to Kyo. She stood on her tiptoes and whispered something to his ear. Kyo's eyes widened after a while. He turned to her with a grim look.

"You got all that in the five minutes we were talking? You must have a gift with puzzles…" Kyo said quietly with a raised eyebrow.

Yuya just shrugged and sat back down. She turned her attention back to the book with a newfound interest. If she can crack something that is hidden under all the information, she was sure that they could help find Keikoku…wherever he was.

Sasuke took a seat opposite of Yuya, his arms crossed as he leaned into the sofa lazily. Yuya looked up from the slight disturbance.

"Yes, Sasuke-kun?" she said casually.

"Hey, what book are you reading? Mind if I take a look?" he asked carefully, eyeing Yuya's expressions.

Yuya looked surprised for a second before gently closing the book and passing it to him. She chuckled when he took the book from her. He glared at her questioningly.

"What is it? What's on my face?"

Yuya continued laughing. "I never thought you liked reading adult material, my dear little Sasuke…Yukimura must be rubbing it on you."

With the immediate rush of blood to his face, he avoided the surprised looks on the adults' faces and gave the book back to Yuya who was smiling to herself. She could not believe that Sasuke fell for such a simple trick!

Yukimura hopped to Sasuke and embraced him in a deadly bear-hug, fist ruffling the young teen's hair. "Aww!! I never thought that my little cute pet grew up so quickly!!! Tell me you've watched some porn!!"

"I haven't and I don't want to!! Get off me!!" he said as he struggled hard to get untangled from the older man.

Bon just frowned as he crab-walked away from the scene, trying to runaway from Kyo's wrath. Akari saw this and immediately locked his arms with Bon's muscular neck and kicked him off of the floor, slamming his large build.

Kyo raised his brows questioningly. "Don't worry, I'm done getting pissed off but I don't like the fact that my beautiful floor is now covered with blood…"

…

"Let me help you with that, Yuya-san…" Akira offered as he took the sautéed vegetables from Yuya's hands.

Yuya sported a grateful smile as she took another dish from the counter. She double-checked to make sure that all appliances are turned off before leaving the kitchen to carry the dishes to the main dining hall. Yuya carried the thin slices of meat that were prepared for making sukiyaki and laid it on the table where the group of men waited. She took a seat next to Akari, opposite of Kyo. Bon served the yakisoba noodles he made and grinned.

"Eat it while it's still hot!" he told them, guffawing.

Yukimura smiled earnestly, grabbing the dish and using the big chopsticks to get some. He passed the plate to Sasuke who was trying to avoid him.

"Eat some, Sasuke! No matter how bad it looks like!"

A mental arrow hit Bon's chest.

"Don't worry Bon-san; I'm sure the taste is so overwhelming that it destroyed the nicer features of the food…" Yuya said, trying to cheer him up.

To support her words, she took a bite from Yukimura's plate…

…and immediately became pale.

"It's SO _good_…that I feel ill! Dig in, everyone! While it's still HOT!"

Everyone avoided the plate of _hot yakisoba_ and focused on the other edible dishes. Kyo started with the dipping the raw meat into the broiling water and waited for it to slightly cook before dipping it into the teriyaki sauce. He passed the meat to Yuya who only stared at his chopsticks.

"Eat up, you look thin."

Yuya giggled, "You know it's frowned upon when you expect me to get the meat from your chopstick…"

"Then open your mouth."

"Eh?"

"Did something happen between you two? Kyo seems to be taking care of you, Yuya-san…" Yukimura questioned.

"By the way, I'm opening my mouth for you, Kyo!" Akari interjected.

Yuya turned to Yukimura, her eyes pleading. Yukimura understood the situation and dragged Bon into a conversation about the tender part of meat. Yuya sighed, avoiding eye contact with anyone.

"_You'll have to reveal it sooner or later…"_

-

A/N: To the readers of all my stories, be patient with me while I try and update everything. I need to update all of my stories before going to Japan. Sigh. Okay, I hope you enjoyed it, R&R! Oh, and also, why don't you guys tell me what type of books should I read to improve my stories. Thanks in advance! Actually…I need to use the four months to study my Japanese…hehe.


	33. Gift Note

Just a short announcement: Got to my blog (click homepage at my profile) and click the links before it expires.It's a gift from me, **Curse of the Fading Tears OST Cursed Melodies**!! Anyway, i take this as a chance to say thanks for reading and reviewing my stories, not just this but yeah. You guys make my day. Enjoy the gift and DO give me comments on the Fatal Frame 3 Koe cover i did.

Love ya ALL!!! huggles

The one and only Kaeru-sama A.K.A Miharu


	34. Chapter 30

A/N: Sorry this is a bit short and is kind of straying from the previous chapter so I decided that the part two will come after this chapter. It's kind of a filler chapter. It's more on the humor side that I feel is needed in me right now. I feel that the time skipping is confusing me too. I reread some chapters just to make sure my facts are not wrong. Some thoughts of dropping this fic also surfaced because…I fear that this fanfic is haunted. I was sort of bothered yet again. Maybe I'm just into this whole horror thing.

Disclaimer: Things that don't belong to either me or Tecmo belong to Kamijyo. Things that don't belong to either me or Kamijyo belong to Tecmo. Things that don't belong anywhere in this world used in this story belong to me!!

Reviewers: Thank you very much for all the support, I will try and improve my writing and my story. Hopefully this won't add more questions. Haha. Btw, look at the chapter number! It's 30 yo!

-

Hour Thirty – Hotline from Hell

-

The skies began to darken; the colors of the sky began to merge to form a starless canvas of darkness. The sun sank engulfed by the darkness, into the fangs of nothingness. Yes, every single life surrounding the area came to a halt as the luminescent figure came floating down the deserted road. Toads stopped croaking and owls stopped hooting as rain fell down hard with just a wave of her hand. The rain washed the animals away and the figure continued to tread down the lonely road, all the time, her head bent low as her long hair hung down her shoulders. Her eyes were shadowed from view but anyone who saw her knew that it was dangerous to come near her. The faint smell of blood surrounding her and the fact that her feet did not touch the ground…

…that was enough evidence to know that she was a spirit.

The hostility and the darkness that surrounded her seemed to pull you into a long, long nightmare where you are pursued forever by her vengeance. Yes, she treads the earth yet she was not of the earth. Her translucent figure, made out of the vengeance and her memories, strong enough to possess a human…

"…_take my pain…"_

The ground began to shake violently as the skies cried harder, flooding the area with acidic tears. The small animals inhibiting the area drowned in the sorrow pouring out of the spirit.

With a drop of the tears streaming down her lucent pale cheeks…

"…_away…"_

The sea of tears became crimson.

…

Yuya wrapped her frame with a blanket as she set down the hot chocolate she was drinking on the coffee table. She sighed as it continued to rain. She scanned the books near her as she continued to write down notes on her brother's notebook. She realized that there was not much to do other than researching about the Mibu and its activities in the past. It was hard for Kyo to get more books on Hell Worshippers. Apparently it was mostly found in the Restricted Section of the library. With oh so obvious reasons though.

She continued on reading the book with interest. Nothing mentioned about the possibility of a Hell Gate being present on Earth. There were rumors but they never found one. Mentioned in the books were the rumors that those who dug deep enough will find themselves one step closer to the Hell Gate. Yet, the criterion for finding it involves the seeker of the Gate digging the hole with their bare hands and to blind their eyes. According to the book, _'To seek the Gate, you must not see where it was located or you would be burned by the fire'_. The usage of just the bare hands, to dig deep into the Earth, it must have taken hundreds or maybe thousands of years to find the Gate. If that feat was even possible.

Yuya cross-referred the finding with the Mibu files compiled by Kyo. According to the papers, the Mibu existed since the reign of the Tokugawa Bakufu or even longer before that since their activities were hugely discovered during the 1600s. "'_If by any chance, the Mibu disguised themselves as a mere faction of Shinto, it must have been easy to keep the unwanted dangerous knowledge in their clan. However, there are books documenting their past activities. This supports the idea of these documents being retrieved from the inner section of the clan…_'" she read out.

She looked up to the nearest clock. It was nearly time for her to make dinner. With a heavy and tired sigh, she reluctantly unfolded herself from the warm comfort of the blanket. She got off the black leather couch –which Kyo allowed her to use without reason- and stretched her tired body. She bent her back a little and took a deep breath. It was such a long day. Devoting herself to research was actually fun. When you get that feeling that you found something very good, it made you feel content. She gets it now why Kyo loved doing this.

"Now…what to cook?" she thought out loud to herself as she exited the study.

She contemplated on making some soup since it was cold because of the rain but Kyo would want something filling after a hard day of going around asking questions. Some fish pie was out of the question too…she just needed something easy and filling. Her eyes narrowed evilly as she approached the phone. 'Yes, of course. Pizza is the answer!' she smiled wickedly, rubbing her palms together.

As she neared the phone, she reached out her hand to pick up the receiver when the phone just jumped and rang. She jumped back, surprised, her hands on her chest. She breathed out unevenly, still a little shaken. Seriously, why do these things happen? Someday, she was sure that someone was to die of a heart attack!

She finally calmed down enough to answer the phone. She brought the receiver to her ear and said a small 'hell-o'. The other line was quiet and she frowned. She waited for another moment.

"Hello? Is someone on the other line?" she finally asked, her fingers tapping the wall impatiently.

There was only complete silence on the other line. Not even a background sound could be heard, nor any breathing. Yuya narrowed her eyes.

"Hello?" she asked again, gritting her teeth.

-BZZT-

"Seriously, whoever this is…it is not funny! I'm hungry and I want pizza!" she complained, looking at the clock.

((**…welcome to the Hotline from Hell…how may I answer your queries?**))

Yuya's eyes widened. "W-what?" she stuttered, losing the grip on the receiver.

((**Hell is reserved for those who committed sins, please hold while I tend to another sinner, thank you.**))

Yuya immediately slammed the receiver back to the phone. "Seriously, what the HELL?!" she said out loud, leaning her back on the wall, sighing.

The phone rang again.

She picked it up and brought it to her ear.

((**You called?**))

She slammed it back and instantly unplugged the wire of the phone and left hurriedly to the kitchen.

She decided to cook some fried noodles for dinner that night.

…

"Yuya, I'm home. I got you some éclairs, just like you forced me to…" Kyo called out as he took a seat on the front step to remove his shoes.

After he placed the shoes into the small space underneath him, he stood up and carried the small cake box and his suitcase with him in one hand while the other was used to unbutton his shirt.

He peered at the living room and saw no one there. He went straight to the kitchen when his nose finally picked up the smell of cooking food. He chuckled to himself when he evaluated what he was doing. He seemed like a husband, weirdly. It was not that he never thought of being married, though.

He went into the kitchen and saw Yuya frying something, adding more salt and pepper to the cooking. He slammed the éclairs on the dining table. Yuya jumped and elicited a small gasp of surprise before turning around to greet Kyo.

"Ah…sorry about that, Kyo. I was just too into the fried noodles…" she reasoned as she left the noodles to cook by itself and removed the earpiece from her ears.

Kyo raised a brow.

"Oh…and that too…" she turned to get Kyo a glass of water before turning back to her cooking.

"Why, tell me, why the hell-" he was cut off abruptly.

"Don't say THAT word!" she shouted at him, turning back to him with a glare.

Kyo narrowed his eyes at her. "Okay…just tell me why then."

Yuya took a deep breath before she turned the burner off and plated the freshly cooked fried noodles. She placed the plate on the dining table before getting the extra plates for both of them. She finally sat down and stared at Kyo.

"…Kyo, have you ever encountered, no, actually, have you ever been called by…_Hell_?" she ended quietly, still staring into his eyes.

Kyo seemed unfazed.

"Well?"

Kyo crossed his arms and leaned back into his chair. "Hey, I bought the éclairs like you asked me to, stop joking."

Yuya's eyes twitched.

"I'm serious."

Kyo stayed quiet for a moment.

"You need sleep. You're just reading into this Hell Gate thing a bit too seriously. Just get some rest, okay?" Kyo took some of the noodles into his plate after that.

Yuya slammed her hands on the table. "Kyo! Please, I'm serious!" she said desperately.

Kyo passed the box of éclairs to her and shrugged. "Alright, I'll listen to you after we eat, okay? I'll listen."

Yuya huffed, rolling her eyes.

"Hey! Why is it smashed?!"

-

A/N: Weird, isn't it? Sorry. My brain got drained by the many facts from school. Taking both E.lit and AS English is hard. I can't understand Biology at all this year and the Art Room is so far away! Hopefully this chapter didn't drill too deep into your brains. I hope the first part answers your questions about Yukiyo (leave my room, please!!) and I find this chapter generally funny. Maybe I should do a summary for where this story is at right now. Anyway, R&R because it is appreciated and I hope those who managed to download the gift note enjoyed it!


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